Not Another SI Fic: Part 3
by Enigmatic Magus
Summary: Having left the Ranma-verse a little more messed up than usual the Jupiter's Thunder heads out of Anime, and into... Video Gaming? Wing Commander
1. Chapter 1

"Woah!" I said, staring out the bridge viewport. Instead of seeing empty, open space, I saw flashes of light; some close, some far off, and ships all over the place.   
  
"Lord! We have intersystem communications of an unknown source, of two distinct varieties. Attempting to decrypt both now."  
  
"My Lord, forward shields are being peppered with laser blasts of an unknown variety. Shields at 97% and dropping slowly."  
  
"Lord Kyle! Combat Analysis computer has no knoweldge of the attacking fighter designs, and initial analysis shows their engines to use a previously unused form of propulsion to move."  
  
I frowned at all the yelling in my direction, then turned to Communications. "Put all our computers to work decrypting their communications. Engineering," I said, turning to that area of the Bridge, "Rerout as much power as needed to the shields. Keep them up as long as you can."  
  
"Someone punch up images of those fighters where I can see them. Helm, keep some distance from those larger ships off our starboard side. I don't want to engage any capital ships untill I know what we're dealing with."  
  
While the bridge crew worked to carry out my orders, Captain Archer quietly asked, "My Lord, shouldn't we launch a flight of TIEs to keep those fighters off of us?"  
  
"Lets wait untill we know what we're keeping off. However, tell the Bay Officers to have a full Wing ready for Launch as soon as possible."  
  
"At once, Lord."  
  
I glanced at the screen before me, and frowned as the fighters buzzing around my ship began appearing, the images switching rapidly.   
  
"Hold on a second..." I said, closing my eyes to think. Some of the Fighters were rather symetrical, and both numbered and labeled in plain english. Their Designs were also rather familiar. The other fighters were neither symmetrical, nor marked in any language I'd seen on earth. However, they all looked somewhat menacing, and were shaped like some demented aviation engineer had cross bred a flying wing with a batarang.   
  
"Sir, Communications descrambled. One set is Speaking basic, the other is some sort of language the computers have no prior record of. The Computers are trying to decipher now."  
  
"I thought not, Keep on it. SHODAN, patch me into the Terran's communications."  
  
"'Terran,' sir?" Archer asked, quirking a brow. I nodded, then turned to a camera that's red light had just turned on.  
  
"Could you Confed Pilots please stop depleting my shields? I'm fairly certain the cats intend to do that, and you really don't need to be helping them."  
  
"Who the-"  
  
"What the hell are you-"  
  
"This is Captain Eisen, of the TCS Victory, Responding. Am I to assume you're the Captain of that giant ship out there in the middle of things?"  
  
"That'd be me, Captain. Just call me Kyle. Recall your fighters, and I'll deploy some fighters to give your boys and girls some cover."  
  
"Not that I'm ingrateful, but how can I be sure you intend to follow through?"  
  
"Blind faith, and the fact that I'm not furry." I turned to Archer "Lauch all Prepped TIEs. Anything that looks like these," I said, quickly cycling through the Kilrathi Fighters the Sensors had picked up, "are to be destroyed. Turbolaser batteries may fire at will. And prep a wing of Tie Bombers. That Kilrathi Destroyer looks like it's about to make a run on the Victory."  
  
Captain Eisen scowled at a screen near the camera, then nodded at me. "Fair enough, I'll do my best to hold off that Destroyer, but any assistance you can give us is appreciated. Victory out."  
  
"Right. Thunder out." I replied, the videoscreen going dead. Turning to Archer, I shrugged. "Lets hope the Cats are as worried about our size as the Confed forces were."  
  
"Yes, Lord."  
  
Makoto tapped me on the shoulder, then quietly asked "Umm... what's going on?"   
  
"Err.. well, as far as I can tell, We're in the Wing Commander universe. Which, I must say, is FAR from Anime, or Japanese fiction in general. Anyway... This means we're in the vicinity of, if not the middle of Wing Commander Three, Heart of the Tiger. When this battle ends I can see where in that story we are, but for now, we've got a battle to win."  
  
Moving down to the CIC, I watched a holographic display of the surrounding space, Imperial and Confed ships represented by blue dots, and Kilrathi now showed up as red. At first the red outnumbered the blue, but as I watched the Thunder's TIE Fighters launch, the numberes evened out, then grew in Humanity's favor.  
  
I looked up, past the viewport, and past the battle, finally seeing the spectaculer gaseous arms and whisps of what I assumed to be a Nebula. Frowning at an errant thought I couldn't quite place, I turned back to the tactical display, counting the Kilrathi capital ships.  
  
"Hmm... 6 Capital ships on their side, eh? Captain Eisen?" I asked, turning to the communications center, "What system are we currently in?"  
  
"You're flying a ship that size and you don't know where you are? This is the-"  
  
"Sir!" an aide behind Captain Eisen shouted, interrupting his response, "Captain, the jump point... it's not there!"  
  
"What? It aint there?" someone else started, and I sighed.  
  
"We're in the Caliban Nebula, Near the jump point to the Caliban System, in the Ariel System." I said, sighing. Turning back to Flight Control, I growled out "Tell our TIEs to cover the other Terran Fighters. That news is going to shock them for a moment."  
  
"Captain Kyle," Eisen said, somewhat asrcastically while he stared at me through the communications center, "I'm not sure how you extrapolated your location from so vague a report, but any information you have on this unsettling situation would be greatly appreciated." Eisen looked a bit paler than he had a few minutes before, and I could hear communications of shock and anger from Eisen's Pilots.  
  
Remembering how Ships in the Wing Commander Universe used jump points to travel from system to system, as opposed to Hyperdrives, their exits from any one system was often limited. The loss of a jump point, something they thought impossible, was a serious blow to their morale, especially since the Victory was planning on jumping to Caliban from here in a few more minutes.  
  
"Captain, as big as the Thunder is, I'm afraid even she can't fight off 6 capital ships without sustaining a significant ammount of damage. Pull back to the nearest jump point, I can't remember it's name off the top of my head. I'll do what I can to cover your retreat, and, if need-be, I can pick up any ships of yours you're unable to gather."  
  
"Much appreciated, Thunder. Pulling back to the Delius jump point." Eisen said, before turning to start issuing orders to his ship. Turning to Flight Control, I quirked a brow.  
  
"Understood, my Lord. Orders passed to all Wings in flight and ready to launch."  
  
"Great. Now... here's the thing, Our Hyperdrive will work, but without an accurate map of the galaxy, we going to be jumping blind right?"  
  
"That's correct, Lord Kyle," Captain Archer started, "While the sensors will pull us out of Hyperspace if we enter a gravity well, the safest course is to follow pre-designated paths through hyperspace, something, am I understand, this universe fails to have developed?"  
  
"Nope. So what we're going to need is a list of coordinates for most nearby jump points, and any mass that would make an impassable gravity well. SHODAN?"  
  
"Already searching for it. Their Communications Officer is making it difficult to do this undetected."  
  
"That's fine, We have a while before they get to the Jump Point. If you have to, just copy everything on their computers into one of ours and sort through it here."  
  
"Working."  
  
I turned to the Tactical Display, and watched as the TIE-Bomber wing made its first run on the Destroyer that had been hounding the Victory. A few Kilrathi Fighters had formed a defensive screen, but some of the Confed Ships had formed up to escort the bombers, and drew them away from the TIEs into dogfights.  
  
"Blair's out there..." I said, quietly. Kind of weird, I thought, to watch the work of someone who'd previously been the character I controlled from my keyboard. Snapping out of my daze, I watched as the Bombs tore a sizable chunk out of the Destroyers shields, and the last few penetrated to damage the Hull beneath.  
  
The TCS Victory began to pull out, its fighters holding off what fighters tried to attack, and the Kilrathi Destroyer was too busy dealing with the attack from the TIE-Bombers to give it chase. Already, they were swinging around to give it another pounding, and scans showed it's structural integrity beginning to fail as each blast drove the wounds deeper.  
  
Another Kilrathi captal ship, this one a Carrier by the large opening at its ends, moved towards the Crippled Destroyer, and a new wave of fighters exited, heading towards the TIEs circling the growing wound.   
  
"Pull back the Bombers, and send in the Fighters. Cover the Bombers, but watch them, the might change course, and head for the Victory."  
  
"Understood, my Lord."  
  
I turned to Makoto, who looked worried, and frowned.  
  
"Where's Nabiki?"  
  
Makoto blinked, glancing around the bridge, before turning towards the door, "I don't know, but that's a good question."  
  
I blinked as she walked out the door, Captain Bowen following, and turned back towards the Tactical Display. "I didn't mean to send you away..." I muttered, before looking at the screen again.  
  
The Victory had pulled far enough away that its more damaged fighters were returning, and The Kilrathi Fighters had turned away, to engage the TIE fighters and three Confed Fighters still duking it out near the Destroyer.   
  
"Download Complete." SHODAN said.  
  
I turned towards Communications, "activate the communications relay, again. I want to hear what's going on out there."  
  
The Officer flipped a switched, and I heard a familiar voice wearily talk over whatever communications medium Confed Fighters used to converse with all in-system craft.  
  
"-on without us, Victory. We'll try to catch a ride with our new friend."  
  
"Understood, Colonel. Good luck, and godspeed." Eisen responded, the Victory speeding up.  
  
"Well, if I'm going down, They're coming with me!" Someone said, right before one of the Confed Fighters turned and accelerated towards the Destroyer.   
  
"Maniac!"  
  
"Burn, Kitty, Burn!" One of the pilots said, firing off three missiles at the hole the Thunder's Bombers had made in the shield. The missiles streaked into the hole in the superstructer and detonated inside, more pieces of the ship jetting out. Suddenly, there was a flash, and the Destroyer went up, flames erupting from fractures and holes all over.  
  
I heard cheering on the Radio for a second, before the tone became more severe.  
  
"Taking damage... I... Shit, Colonel, get out of here, My shields..." Maniac said, his ship tumbling away from the exploding Destroyer.  
  
"Beam him aboard! Now!" I said, turning towards the Viewscreen SHODAN often frequented.  
  
"Complying. Locking on." SHODAN said, her voice maddenningly calm.  
  
Turning back to the display, I watched as the Kilrathi fighters turned towards their carrier, and turned to Flight Control. "Assign an escort to lead the two Confed Fighters towards a cleared Landing area. Recall all the other TIEs, and begin following the Victory. SHODAN?"  
  
"Yes, Kyle?"  
  
"Where's Major Marshal?"  
  
"In Sickbay. I'm decoding the Galactic Map as we speak."  
  
"Ahh.. Right." I said, the answer to my second question already answered. Turning back to the Bridge, I glanced at the Tactical Display, before turning to Flight Control.  
  
"Tractor in our friends when we can get a good lock on them. I'm heading down to the Bay to greet them when they land. Admiral has the Bridge."  
  
I turned and walked out the door, Captain Archer following me quietly, and I pondered what I would say first to Colonel Blair when he landed. 


	2. Chapter 2

Entering the Hangar Bay, I watched as a pair of battered Thunderbolts were gently set down by the tractor beams that had pulled them in. As the canopies opened, I waited patiently while someone found a portable ladder that the pilots could use to climb down from.   
  
Although I'd ordered the bay clear, a platoon of Stormtroopers created a corridor which I walkd through, towards the disembarking pilots. Both were somewhat nervous acting, and I waited patiently for them to take their helmets off.  
  
Finally they did, and I watched as, first Lieutenant Peters appeared, then Colonel Blair.   
  
"Colonel, Lieutenant, welcome to the Jupiter's Thunder. I appoligize for my rought arrival, but I had very little choice in the matter."  
  
"Well, I wasn't quite certain what to make of you when you appeared, but I appreciate your effort to protect my wing, and the Victory. I only wish Major Marshal were here to see this." The last was said a bit quietly, and I noded to myself as I recalled all the arguments the two'd had throughout their careers.  
  
"As soon as he's up to walking, we'll have to see what he thinks about all this," I said, watching them carefully.   
  
"Sir, that just isn't funny." Blair said, frowning. I shrugged, which caused his frown to deepen, and I sighed, before continuing.  
  
"Right before his Thunderbolt exploded, I had him teleported aboard. Apparently he's got some wounds, because he's still in Medical, but from what I undertand, he'll be up soon... and I'm fairly certain he'll be wanting to tell everyone about his exploits destroying a Kilrathi Destroyer."  
  
"He.. Maniac's alive?" Peters asked, finally saying something. Glancing at her, I blinked, remembering she was supposed to be grounded, but then, I'd never grounded her, and it might have been at another point in the story. Putting those thoughts aside, I nodded at her, and turned, walking with them towards the door.   
  
"We can go see him if you'd like, though I assume you two would like to get out of those flight suits and into something a bit more comfortable, if not casual. We can run to the shopping center, if you'd like... Or the ships tailor, who I'm sure has a uniform you two could fit into. Not Confed Blues, I'm afraid, but a uniform, none the less. Which would you prefer?"  
  
"A uniform for me," Blair said, having spotted the hanging TIE-Fighters on the far side of the bay.  
  
"I'd like to see this store of yours, though I might take a uniform incase I don't find anything to my liking," Peters said, watching the Stormtroopers closely.  
  
I nodded, and began walking, though Blair paused, before asking "How long before we can cycle back to the Victory?"  
  
"That depends on whether or not Captain Eisen jumps to that 'D'-system when they reach the point, or if they stick around. SHODAN is working to decode the Galactic map she downloaded from the Victory's computer, and once we can map out a safe Hyperspace route, we can jump to.. wherever we need to go. When we get back to the bridge, I'll see what Communicatiosn has for me."  
  
With that said, we quickly, if quietly, made our way to the shopping area, then the tailor, where Blair and Peters changed into an Imperial Uniform, and a sundress, respectively. Before reaching the bridge, however, we stopped by the Medical Center, where the two Confed pilots could see Maniac.  
  
Upon arriving, the two hurried over to the bacta tank, where Maniac's body floated among the rising bubbles.  
  
"What the hell is this?" Blair asked, looking at me.  
  
"Bacta therapy. Looks like he was worse off than I was originally told. Still, he should be okay. Bacta heals up internal and external wounds like nobody's business. He should be out relatively soon, barring any complications."  
  
"Complications?" Flint asked.  
  
"Yeah . I can't think of any, really... he's obviously not allergic to the bacta, so..." I shrugged, then looked at the Doctor, who was busy wrapping the arm of a TIE pilot.  
  
"He was exposed to hard vacuum while the transporter worked to pick him out of the expanding fireball. He's also sustained minor burns, as well as lacerations from flying debris. We could treat all these outside of Bacta Therapy, but Major Marshal is a guest, and guests deserve the best."  
  
I nodded my agreement, and Blair stared at the Bacta tank a moment longer, before nodding softly.  
  
We arrived on the bridge a few moments later, and I turned to my guests, a grin on my face.   
  
"Welcome to the Main Bridge and Command Center of the Jupiter's Thunder."  
  
"Hell of a ship." Peters said, looking down at the Combat information Center then out the large viewport windows.  
  
"And all this is yours?" Blair said, almost incredulously.   
  
"Well, yeah. I figured if I was going to get something for nothing, might as well go all out." I shrugged, and suddenly Blair frowned.  
  
"How have you avoided Confed- and Kilrathi, for that matter- forces for so long? And Why join the battle now, when you could have done something as soon as your ship was finished being made? God, the Logistics for Crewing... or MAKING this..."  
  
"Relax, Colonel. I'm not really here by choice, but had I arrived sooner, rest assured I would have helped sooner."  
  
"Arrived from where? This Galaxy's not big enough for you to have been hidden in for the years it would take to make something like this. You outsize everything but Thrackhath's Dreadnaught, and with the technology you've displayed, even his ships greater size wouldn't gurantee him the fight."  
  
"Stupid Dreadnaught. Wish I had a Death Star to... hey..." I said, turning to Archer, "can the WDs make a Death Star?"  
  
"No, My Lord, their not capable of making things larger than their exit ports. However, I'm fairly certain SHODAN could set them up to manufacture construction Drones that would be able to, if you had enough drones, and enough Devestators to convert... matter... into Death Star components."  
  
"SHODAN, how fast could we theoretically create a Death Star? If we made enough W-Ds to speed up the process?"  
  
"The more construction drones and World Devastators you have to create and construct the Death Star, the Faster, but your upward mobility would be hindered by overall speed and efficiency of both the drones and the Devastators. The fastest you could have one, starting from what we have aboard, is 16 weeks."  
  
"Screw that. Could a W-D make a Sun Crusher?"  
  
"No, the quantum armor is beyond the construction capabilities of the Molecular Furnace. As are the Star-Bursting torpedos."  
  
"Hold on a minute, 'Star-Bursting torpedos?'"  
  
"Yeah, these energy globules that can cause a star to explode. Instant Nova. Works on any kind of star. The Quantum Armor was nifty, too. A beam that could blow up a planet was the only thing that caused it any damage, and that was limited to loss of weapons, and hindered engine power. Too bad. Id've given you one to end this war. Looks like Palladin's Te.. err..."  
  
"Palladin's what?" Blair asked, frowning at the Mention of his old Wing Commander.  
  
"Ehh.. need-to-know, and all that. You understand, right?" I said, waving it off.  
  
"No. No I don't understand. Where the hell did you get all this? No offense, but you aren't exactly the age of a typical ships captain. You've displayed, and spoken of, technology that could be employed to end this war in days, technology nobody's ever seen before, or even thought of. No. I don't understand. Enlighten me." Blair crossed his arms, and scowled at me.  
  
"Us." Peters threw in.  
  
"Err, right. When Maniac is up, we'll talk, untill then, I'd rather not have to explain it all twice. It's a screwed-up story as-is."  
  
"Lord, SHODAN has decrypted the Galactic Map Downloaded from the Victory, and is establishing hyperspace routes at the moment. The Delius System is accessable from a nearby area of space, but we currently cannot jump due to a large buildup of nebular gasses debris between us and the system."  
  
"Ahh, right. Plot a course around the nebula to Delius."  
  
"Understood, My Lord. Preparing a course."  
  
"Great. Now, lets go get some food," I said, turning towards the door. Suddenly, it opened, and in stormed a red-faced Nabiki, Makoto following her with a worried expression on her face. I didn't have anytime, however, to ask abut either, because before I could react, Nabiki had buried her foot in my gut.  
  
Staring up at her from the floor, I managed to squeeze a "Why?" out with what little breath I had left.   
  
"WHY? Because I was home! I'm not home anymore, am I, Kyle?"  
  
"Well... " I said, climbing to my feet slowly, "Ahh... not really..."  
  
"That's right. And, while this time around, my family will probably think I eloped with you, I'm fairly certain your current method of transportation is not capable of taking a nice, fat 'U-ie' and dropping me off in Nerima."  
  
"Sailor Moon could probably send you home." Makoto said, finally. Nabiki walked over to an unoccupied chair and collapes bonelessly into it.  
  
"I was home. Damnit. I was home, and now it's a universe or twenty away."  
  
"Nabiki... I.. I'm sorry. I didn't even know you were pulled with us when Usagi tried to bring Makoto home."  
  
"Well I was. Teleported out of my class, and into my lovely gray-walled room here."  
  
"We'll get you home, Nabiki. Somehow or another, we'll find a way to get you back home," I said, finally, putting my hand on her shoulder. I wasn't sure how to reassure her, but I knew that, even though I hadn't meant to bring her along, it was still somewhat my fault.  
  
Nabiki sighed, then looked up at me with red-rimmed eyes, "You know... as stupid as that was... I actually believe you. I... thanks." She stood up, then, and turned to the door, her steps still heavy, but at least she was holding her head up. Before leaving, she turned to me and said "I'm going to go back to my quarters... I'll be back out later."  
  
"That was..." Flint said, summing everything up well. I nodded, then turned to the two guests.  
  
"Lets... umm... grab some food, then go check on Maniac again. He should be up soon, and then I can explain. That should clear up some of that last conversation."  
  
Maverick and Flint just nodded, and we left for the Dining hall. 


	3. Chapter 3

On a ship as large as the Jupiter's Thunder, the logistics of having a single dining hall, or even a couple (divided for Officers and Enlistees) would have been impossible. So, throughout the Super Star Destroyer, multiple dining halls were found nearest the living quarters in multiple sectors. None of these, however, were appropriate for guests. Fortunately, when my wish was realized one universe ago, the magic which created the Thunder also took into account things like this, and installed a pair of dining rooms near the bridge. One for me and my wife, Makoto, and another, slightly larger dining room in which VIPs and Guests could be fed by the ships best chefs.   
  
Entering the VIP Dining hall, Our small group quickly took places at the large table, and placed our orders with the datapads provided. Despite this ship originating in a Galaxy far, far away (and a long time ago) the foods listed were typical Earth-foods, though they ranged from western style means like Chicago-style pizza, to eastern meals like sukiyaki.  
  
"Aren't you hungry at all, Archer?" I asked the Captain, who had taken a guard-like position near the door.   
  
"No, My Lord, I ate just before our most recent... shift. I appreciate the concern, however."   
  
Nodding at him, I turned back and punched in my order, glad that the ship could duplicate Coca-Cola so perfectly. While waiting for our drinks to arrive, I was somewhat surprised as the door opened, and Makoto and Nabiki entered, Captain Bowen taking place on the opposite side of the door from Captain Archer. Catching Makoto's eye, I quirked a brow at Nabiki, and Makoto just shrugged, before sitting down beside me. Nabiki took a seat between Makoto and Blair, while Peters sat at the end of the table, leaving a space between her and Blair for Maniac.  
  
"So..." I said, breaking the akward silence.   
  
"Yeah." Makoto responded instantly.  
  
Blair, Nabiki, and Peters blinked, before we all turned to watch the Petty Officer who brought the drinks in and placed them before us.  
  
"This is a rather.. informal meal, for such a formal atmosphere," Peters finally said, after taking a sip of her water.  
  
"I've reserved the right to waive formality to ensure comfort," I said with a smile. Blair frowned at that, and I turned my attention to him, "Something wrong, Colonel?"  
  
"Formality, as well as Discipline and Tradition, are not things to take lightly. While I've seen some indication of structure and order, a lot of what I've seen doesn't strike me as being orthodox compared to any Militant Structure I've ever heard of."  
  
"Hmm..." I said, softly, before smiling slightly, "I'm assuming my age, among other things, are the basis of your concerns?"   
  
"Among other things. Your title, or rank, or whatever it is, seems somewhat out of place among the Lieutenants and other standardized ranks, as well."  
  
Captains Archer and Bowen both stiffened up at that, but a slight wave of my hand was enough to cool them off. Blair's questions were to be expected, after all. If not voiced, then at the very least thought. Before I could respond, however, the door opened again, and Major Todd "Maniac" Marshall entered the Dining hall, a Lieutenant beside him, ostensibly to guide him here.  
  
The Major's face displayed both awe and trepidation, but despite that, he spoke with an arrogance only someone who'd garnered the callsign "Maniac" could exude after a narrow escape from obvious death.  
  
"Boy, this is some ship, Colonel. Can you believe they've got a working teleporter in this thing? Not to mention about a million of those little fighters. Whoever's got the wheel of this thing must be nuts not to just go and take out Kilrah."  
  
"Nice to see you too, Maniac. If you'd have a seat, maybe we can find out why this ship hasn't leveled Kilrah, or at least, why it hasn't offered to help up until today."  
  
"All right. When is the Captain going to get here? By the way, nice dress, Flint," Maniac said with a grin asn he sat down beside Peters. Glancing at us, he frowned, before waving and asking, "Who're the kids?"  
  
"Lord Kyle, Lady Makoto, and Admiral Tendo aren't... 'kids!'" Captain Archer shouted, Blaster drawn. Captain Bowen hadn't drawn her weapon, but her hand was resting on it as she added quietly, "Aside from commanding the Jupiter's Thunder, Lord Kyle's quick thinking is the only reason you're not sucking vacuum. And if my Lord and Lady would permit it, I'd like to show our guests another reason entirely to respect them. If I may, My Lord?"  
  
I blinked, then turned to Makoto, "you make the call." Makoto, for her part, blinked back at me, then shrugged at Captain Bowen, "Go ahead."  
  
"SHODAN, Play the video the crew has come to refer to as 'The Practice,' followed by 'The Battle.'"  
  
"Loading," the AI said, her voice managing to convey anticipation as the file was loaded. The Room darkened quickly, and I stifled a groan as I realized the wall the table was facing had just flickered. An image of the Hangar Bay Makoto and I had sparred in appeared, and I sighed as I realized we would be watching said sparring session when Makoto and I walked onto the screen from the left.   
  
Leaning over so I could talk to Makoto without being heard by our guests, I quietly asked her guess as to what 'The Battle' probably was.  
  
"Well, I'd say either our fight with the Nerima Wrecking Crew, or our battle with Happosai and that Pantyhose guy... though I doubt the latter."  
  
"Ohyeah. I totally forgot about out fight with Tarou. Why do you doubt that fight?"  
  
"That wasn't quite as intense as our larger fight. And we were outnumbered in the other fight. It's more impressive."  
  
"I suppose..." I said, sitting back in my chair as our sparring match waged on.   
  
I was impressed by the depth and resolution of the giant screen, if, indeed, that's what it was, and not some sort of projection. While my computer monitor was capable of playing movies and DVDs, and they looked good, this was much more than good, it was perfect. More like watching the fight through a window or something, than watching a recording.   
  
Finally, our sparring patch came to an end, and the wall went blank for a moment, before an image of Earth appeared. Again I was impressed with the display, and how it made me feel like I was looking out a window, as opposed to a recorded set of images.   
  
When the image began to zoom in on Earth rapidly, I glanced down and realized that during the sparring match, our food had been delivered. Looking down the table, I watched as Nabiki and Makoto quietly ate their meals, while the three guests stared at the screen in open-mouthed amazement.   
  
Makoto had apparently ordered a cheeseburger, and I grinned as she tore into it, managing to demolish it rapidly but all the while doing everything mannerly. Wondering how that was possible, I looked past Makoto, at Nabiki, to see what she'd ordered. In front of here was a small Pizza, similar in size to one of Pizza Hutt's Personal Pan sizes. Glancing down at my meal, pigs-in-blankets, I shrugged, and dunked the exposed hotdog end into a rather large puddle of ketchup.   
  
Blair had apparently ordered a steak, and Peters, beyond him, had ordered herself a sandwitch, though in the darkened room, I couldn't exactly make out what was in it. Both pilots, however, were too engrossed with the image of Ranma, Makoto, and I fighting off Ryouga, Ukyo, Akane, Mousse, Shampoo, Kuno, and Happosai to realize they could begin eating.  
  
A subtle flashing light from my Datapad drew my attention from the fight, and I glanced down at the smaller screen to see what it was doing.  
  
"Have plotted a Hyperspace course to the Delius System and will arrive in 48 hours. Battle Analysis compiled, and broken down for later review."  
  
The message was listed as being from SHODAN, and I nodded, figuring her cameras could see in the darkened room enough to pick up said message. A moment later, the datapad blinked off, and I glanced back up at the screen as out fight came to a somewhat anticlimatic end. As the lighting increased to the natural level, our guests turned to look at Makoto and I, then back at the blank screen, before finally fixing their gazes on their plates.  
  
"So!" I finally said, after a few moments of silence. The startled look on our guests faces let me know I'd gotten their attention again, "While you're eating, I'll begin to explain how we came to be here. I'm fairly certain most questions you have will be answered, but feel free to ask whatever questions arise once we're done."  
  
"'We?'" Maniac asked, quirking a brow.  
  
"Who am I to tell Nabiki and Makoto's roles when they're right here to tell it themselves. I may be in charge, but I'm not some sexist megalomaniac."  
  
"So we'd noticed," Robin Peters muttered into her drink. I grinned slightly, but didn't otherwise let her know I'd heard her. The fact that she was a pilot, and flew a starfighter alongside women and men made me wonder as to the nature of her outburst. Weren't all pilots considered equal? Or was it still a male-driven military, that was so hard up for polits they'd turned to Women after realizing that staying sexist would loose the war? Thinking further, I considered how few women I'd seen in the Wing Commander universe show up with higher rank than Flint. Despite outward appearences, Flint had apprently found herself bracketed, though when and where I wasn't sure of.  
  
Realizing I'd captured my autiences attention, then gotten lost in my introspective, I smiled nervously.  
  
"Just... ah... gathering my thoughts. I suppose this all began a couple months ago in my little apartment on the souther side of Denver, Colorado. January 2003-"  
  
"Two... That's Six Hundred and Sixty-Six years ago!" Blair said, interrupting me.  
  
"Well, yeah. I suppose. If it's... 2669, right now," I said, doing some quick math in my head. I shrugged, "that's not the really important part, though."  
  
Over the next half-hour I explained how Nabiki, Makoto, and Mara had appeared at my door, and how we found ourselves experiencing things like universal rewrites, inter-universal transportation, and of course, magic."  
  
"You mean to tell us that not only is Makoto here some sort of Fairy-tale princess, but this ship is the result of a simple wish?" Maniac all but shouted.  
  
"Oddly enough, it does make a bit of sense..." Blair said, unconvincingly.  
  
"Yeah, we're being entertained by a bunch of loons with a ship 17 kilometers long." Flint muttered.  
  
I chuckled, before pointing to Archer and Bowen, who both looked somewhat angered by our guests blatant disbelief.   
  
"If I were truly insane, I seriously doubt the crew aboard this ship would follow my lead. I doubt even with my newfound martial arts abilities, I could tackle so many people if a mutiny arose."  
  
"Have you told them this story you've so interestingly woven?" Flint asked.  
  
"Haven't you wondered why someone as young as me has a ship this big following my orders?"  
  
"Well..." Marshall said, frowning. Blair and Peters did the same. I shrugged, then looked at the room slowly.  
  
"Believe what you will, but I'd like to hear you explain exactly how a ship this big has managed to evade the Terran Confederation or Kilrathi for so long. Bonus points if you can also find a way to write off the Technology capable of jumping to hyperspace without jump points, Teleportation, and even the design of this ship and it's TIE-Fighters."  
  
"Well, that does eliminate most guesses.." Blair said, slowly. I nodded.  
  
"And once you've taken away all the other possibilities, the last one, no matter how improbable, is the answer. So did I manage to make this ship in some unknown shipyard, said ship using technology your physicists say is impossible? Or did I arrive through some sort of 'Multiversal Wormhole?'"  
  
"I will admit that the wormhole theiry has some merit, but before I believe it, can you prove it?"  
  
"Aside from all the technology? I dunno. Umm..." I said, looking around. Nabiki rolled her eyes, then turned to Makoto.  
  
"Transform." She said, frowning at me. I blushed slightly as I realized I was married to my proof and had completely overlooked it. The fact that Nabiki disaproved of my ignorance of the obvious added to the embarassment, and I hoped our guests paid my wife more attention than they did me.  
  
Makoto stood, an almost deafeated look on her face, as she walked to the center of the room. Pulling out her henshin stick, she held it aloft, before calling out her transformation phrase.  
  
"Jupiter Star Power, MAKE-UP!"  
  
While the lightshow took place, I heard Nabiki mutter softly to herself, "Jupiter's a planet, not a star." Maniac snorted at that, and I rolled my eyes. When Makoto finally landed, Flint clapped and Blair just stared at her like she'd... well... like she'd transformed via magic into someone else. Maniac, however, crossed his arms.  
  
"Something wrong Major?" I asked.  
  
"Feh, That was impressive, no doubt, but given enough time, I could have set up some sort of holographic version of that," he replied, smirking a little.  
  
"You're quite full of yourself for a guy who broke formation to go up in a blaze of glory. Not to mention you're accusing one of the people who saved your life of lying." Nabiki said, quietly.  
  
"I was fine. If you hadn't pulled me out of my ship, You'd have realized I was ejecting."  
  
"Your lies fool nobody, insect," SHODAN said, her voice dripping with contempt. The wall flickered, and suddenly a slow motion replay of the end of the recent starfight took up the entire far wall. Still in vivid detail, I watched as the scene depicted grew untill Maniac's Thunderbolt was taking up most of the wall.  
  
While it pulled away after launching it's compliment of missiles, I watched as three laser blasts lanced out from offscreen towards the fighter. The first struck a thin sphere of lighting I knew to be the shield, but the second and third drilled into the engine of the fighter, which glowed golden before exploding out the back end of the fighter. Another laser struck midship, and a small string of explosions began walking towards the pilots canopy. At the last moment, it exploded open, but before the figure in the chair could get clear, a final explosion launched a multitude of shrapnel at the ejection seat as it blasted away from the fighter.  
  
Said seat was punctured from behind by multiple pieces of metal, and there was a flash from within the helmet a moment before the metal pieces tore their way out the front of the flight suit. The glowing piece of metal wer acompanied by crystalized Oxygen, and red crystals that could only be blood. The screen paused as more shrapnel exited the flight suit, and SHODAN began speaking again.   
  
"That flash from within your helmet was you being teleported into the medical facilities here on the Jupiter's Thunder. If you look closely, you can see a nice, fist-sized piece of shrapnel that would have severed your spine from your backbone about to exit the faceplate. Would you like to watch it shatter the glass of your helmet, or have you seen enough?"  
  
"I.. ohgod, I think I'm going to throw up," the Major said.  
  
"Ever the eloquent one, eh Maniac?" Flint said, though she was looking somewhat pale as well. Blair shuddered once, then turned to look at Makoto, Nabiki and I, before nodding.  
  
"Alright, we'll buy your story. For now. As much as I dislike the thought of being entertained by Extra-universal kid.. people," he caught himself, "The thought of someone holding technology like this back, instead if using it to end or just plain help with the war bothers me even more." I returned the nod, before standing up.  
  
"Well... now that we're done with the 'how-we're-here' explanations, I'd say it's time to drop the bomb."  
  
"How you knew where you were, and who was who so well?" Flint asked.  
  
"Exactly," I smiled. And drop the bomb I did.  
  
Authors Notes!  
  
Been a while, hasn't it? Yeesh. Almost a year since I really started this. NASIF 1, chapter 1 was published bacn in January, but it sat on my computer for a couple months before I decided to actually post it for real, and, well.. It's come a long way.  
  
Unfortunately, it's not what I wanted it to be. At least, up until now. This chapter was written after a long drive home, thinking about the way I write, and the way I should write. As you can see, I suddenly went from my "outline with dialogue" writing style to.. something a bit heftier. By no means am I ready to tackle Stephen King for most words wasted on describing a shadow, but at least I've gotten my descriptive lines a bit more fleshed out. What do you, the readers, think? An improvement? Or did I miss something, and end up trying too hard? Let me know!  
  
Oh, and the Choices of universes. Well, I have planes for that "Final destination" of mine, and therefore, I have to be careful about where I go. But that's boring stuff. YAY! I'm writing again! Expect more space battles, more confusion, and maybe a fight scene or two.  
  
Thanks to Nate and James for feedback, encouragement, and commentary. And George Lucas, Chris Roberts, Rumiko Takahashi and Naoko Takeuchi for all that I've used to give my avater some entertai... protagonist... and allies.   
  
And thanks for leaving feedback, all you who've done so in the past. 


	4. Chapter 4

Since mankind first became sentient, those with enough time on their hands to wax philosophically have pondered their existance. For some people, living life to it's fullest, experiencing everything they can in their blink-of-an-eye lifetime is the end-all, their purpose. For others, it's to fulfill God's (or The Gods') purpose for placing them on Earth. And for more people than both parties would like to admit, their purpose is perpetually undefined, and they find themselves wondering why they're here, and where they're going.  
  
From the looks on Blair, Peters, and Marshal's faces, I could see that the revelation that they were, in fact, created for a video game was more than just a shock. It was an outrage.  
  
"You mean to tell me that I'm just some second-string supporting character?" Peters growled. Before I could respond to that, Marshall commented.  
  
"What am I? Comic relief? I get dicked around and always find myself in the Colonel's shadow for laughs?"  
  
I held back a smirk at Marshall, resisting the urge to say something about 'hitting the nail on the head' and instead closed my eyes and took a deep breath.  
  
"While I can understand that this information is a bit like having the rug pulled out from underneath you, remember, you all are here, right now, which is proof enough of your existance."  
  
"That doesn't, however, disprove the worry that we were created sometime in your past to entertain the masses. I think I speak for all three of us when I say our suffering isn't acted." Colonel Blair said, quietly.  
  
"True. And, had you been following the storyline specifically, I think Peters was supposed to have been grounded after the incident in the Locanda system. But she's here now, so you aren't staying strictly to the storyline. Not to mention, my arrival is beginning to turn things on its head."  
  
"Err..." Flint said, ever so eloquently, as I mentioned her incident.  
  
"In any case, we're all here, breathing and talking and.. well, doing what living people do, so it's not like you're fake or anything."  
  
"...Right." Marshall said, staring down at the floor with his arms crossed.  
  
"Well... what do you intend to do now?" Blair asked, finally.  
  
"I don't really know. I think I have to do something here before we can leave, but I have no clue what that is. Were I a little earlier, I would have done what I could to save Locanda... or Stop Thrakhath's assault on Earth.. but I'm not, so I dunno what, exactly, I need to do."  
  
"Well, they're at war, Kyle. Maybe you have to stop the war?" Nabiki said, from the table. While she wasn't particularly mad at me (as far as I could tell), she was still obviously somewhat upset at being yanked from her home universe, and I couldn't truly blame her. There were a few things back home that I missed, as well.  
  
"Well... I guess, then, we'll just have to solve that problem." I said, suddenly grinning. Makoto took a step back as she realized exactly how evil my grin was.  
  
"What do you have in mind?" She asked, frowning.   
  
"I'm thinking the Emperor needs a shower."  
  
"Do what?" Nabiki asked. The others looked just as confused, and I nodded to myself.  
  
"A nice, fresh, spring-water shower." I mumbled, just loud enough to be heard. Nabiki and Makoto paled slightly, and I nodded at them, before turning to my guests.   
  
"Lady and Gentlemen, if you'd please follow me, I'd like to introduce you to a... ahh.. 'pet-project' of mine."  
  
Walking through the doors of the Science area, I paused, realizing that there had been a change since my last visit. As opposed to the shelves of cartons I'd assumed held the Jusenkyo water, a 3 story wall was now visible, extendending down a level and up a level. On the wall were hundreds of clear plastic tanks of what I assumed to be Jusenkyo Water, each tank large enough to hold a full grown man somewhat comfortably.   
  
"Bacta tanks?" I heard Blair ask behind me. Glancing around, I spotted Lieutenant Commander Cantrell leaning over a computer, obviously engrossed in his work. Moving over to him, I tapped him on the shoulder, hoping to get his attention.  
  
"In a moment! You know how important this test is!" he said, brushing off his shoulder as if I'd dirtied it. Frowning, I leaned a litle closer to him and quietly growled "How important?"  
  
"My Lord!" Cantrell shouted, straightening up at once. I nodded softly, then glanced at the wall of tubes with a raised eyebrow.  
  
"I wasn't quite expecting you to gather this much water..." I said. The tanks were back-lit with a royal blue light that made the bubbles slowly rising in all the tanks stand out even more so. The overall effect was quite nice, and almost certainly set up that way for aesthetic reasons.   
  
"Your permission was open ended, my Lord. And with something so obviouly versatile as this spring water, I wanted to ensure I had enough for the forseeable future."  
  
Nodding, I glanced around, and shrugged, before motioning to Blair and the others.   
  
"These are my guests, from the TCS Victory. Care to show them around your lab? I'm a bit curious myself as to what changes you've implimented here."  
  
"Certainly, Lord Kyle."  
  
The tour showed off the tubes, and a previosuly-unnoticed back wall lined with containers of filtered sediment from the jusenkyo waters.  
  
"So the tubes are full of filtered water?" Nabiki asked, glancing over at the tanks.  
  
"Yes. They were originally filtered because the hoses and piping would unexpectedly burst, spraying a few of my assistants. However, even with the impurities removed, we still suffered inexplicable leaks and bursts, and have since installed a force field to protect the staff from unwanted curses."  
  
"Seems the water doesn't like being bottled up." Makoto muttered.  
  
"As unscientific as that sounds, we have reluctantly come to that conclusion, as well." Cantrell said, glancing at the tanks with a small frown. A small cough from behind me made me turn, and I saw Blair staring intently at me.  
  
"Please tell me this," he said, glancing at the tanks, "Isn't your answer to the war. Water?"  
  
"Well, you know how cats hate taking a bath, Colonel. Maybe he intends to irk them into making a mistake," Maniac offered with a smirk. Leaning closer, I whispered a quick request to Commander Cantral, and thten turned to my guests with a predatory grin.  
  
"Much as I'd like to explain it to you, I think the best explanation, as usual, is a demonstration. These waters are from a set of springs located somewhere in the Bayankala Mountain range of China, and they have a rather unique property," I said, walking over towards a clear area near the back of the labs. Cantral handed me a small vial, and I spun, smiling at my three guests briefly, before settling my gaze on Maniac.  
  
"Behold the powers of the Nyanichuuan!" I said, throwing the water in the vial at Maniac. He flinched, but didn't seem all that concerned about getting a little water on him. He did, however, start when he felt himself changing.  
  
"MANIAC!" Blair said, as he noticed something was amiss almost immediately. Flint had taken a step back, her eyes wide with shock, and one hand covering her mouth. Grinning smugly at the now female Maniac, I chuckled.  
  
"Spring of Drowned Girl. There's some tragic story and some time frame and.. well.. as you can see, it has some rather interesting powers, wouldn't you agree?"  
  
"I'm... I'm a..." Maniac passed out, and I sighed, rolling my eyes before telling Cantrell to get some hot water.  
  
"Hot water!? How did.. you... What's hot water going to do for him? How are we supposed to explain this to Confed?" Blair asked, staring down at Maniac wide-eyed.  
  
"Relax, it's temporary. One hot soak and he'll be good as new. Had I used the permanent stuff, he'd change every time he got wet, but now, it's just a one-time deal."  
  
"Temporary... is this what you were talking about? With curses?" Flint asked. I nodded, and Nabiki spoke up, grinning.  
  
"Not only can we choose between the two, Kyle, or really, Cantrell here, has found a way to place both the permanent and the temporary curses into beam weapons. With the teleportation system on the Jupiter, he basically has two delivery methods."  
  
"Wait, you intend to turn the Emperor into a girl?" Blair asked, shock on his face. Behind the shock, however, I could see a growing sense of mirth, and even some relief. The relief was to be expected. This method resulted in few, if any deaths, and that was an outcome Blair had wanted in Wing Commander, and likely wanted here, as well.  
  
"Maybe. Thrakhath, too. But I don't just have girl water. There's boy, as well as hundreds of different animals. Including cat. I just wish we'd found a way to get Herbs Locking Ladle for a couple quick liters of permanent cursed-form splashes."  
  
"Locking Ladle? Herb? All this..." Blair sighed, and Flint looked up at us, a small smile on her face. "I think, Lord Kyle, that what the Colonel is trying to say, is that he believes your claim that you are, indeed, from another universe. I know I do."  
  
"Keen. And just call me Kyle. Your guests, not Imperials. Anyway... lets head back to the bridge. We'll have to coordinate this venture with your Confederacy, I would think, and I'd like to see where we are on our hyperspace jump."  
  
Makoto and Nabiki stayed behind, while Blair, Flint, and a dazed, male Maniac followed me back to the bridge. On the way, Blair and I conversed while Flint and Maniac had a quiet conversation behind us.  
  
"How do you intend to get to Kilrah? As fast as this ship is, and armed, I doubt you'd have much time before you found yourself swamped." Blair asked.  
  
"I'll need a strike force.. Since the closest jump point is at the far outskirts of their system, we'd have to take the new one Palladin's special ops team found."  
  
"How'd you know he..." Blair started, then his expression darkened, "oh, right, a game." I nodded, glancing at the wall. Worse than knowing that, I knew that Blair's Girlfriend had been on that special-ops team, and was now dead at prince Thrackhath's claws. Looking at Blair's frown, I decided to change the subject before he thought to inquire about Angel.  
  
"Don't be so hard on yourself. Anyway, yeah, I think a large force jumping into the Kilrah System would draw some of their ships away from the planet. I can also deploy a couple world devastators to help me keep zealous fighters distant."  
  
"World... those things that can make.. whatevers?"  
  
"Yeah. I think I'll make a wing of TIE-Defenders. They're powerful, can fire missiles, and I don't have any at the moment, so either I run a wing of TIE-Fighters through them, or suck up Kilrathi Fighters and convert them."  
  
"And how do you intened to tackle their planetary fleet? And all the ships in their shipyards?"  
  
"Somehow. If Confed can give me that backup, they should be thinned out by the diversion."  
  
"And if they don't thin out? A suicide run isn't all that great an Idea... and loosing a ship of this magnatude and firepower is a bit of a waste."  
  
"Isn't it though? I'll see what I can do. We can always teleport Jusenkyo water into the bridge of the cat capital ships." I smiled.   
  
Blair shuddered, "that stuff is potent, I'll give it that much."   
  
I laughed, "at least they won't be dead."  
  
I glanced around before talking a little quieter, "Want to know a secret?" I asked. Blair quirked an eyebrow, and I spoke quietly.  
  
"Tolwyn is working on a Terran Dreadnaught that is, basically, a planet-bursting laser. Not as powerful as a Death Star's laser, since it only works on Tectonically unstable planets, but enough to rock Kilrah to pieces."  
  
Blair paled at this, then scowled. "Tolwyn's running a project like that?" he asked.  
  
"Yeah. Palladin's working on a bomb that does the same thing, but the scientist he needs to complete the bomb is on a Kilrathi prison planet."  
  
"That's.. well, I suppose if the War is looking as bad as it is, and after Locanda, then..." Blair sighed.  
  
"Yeah. I know what you're thinking. Civies have nothing to do with this." Blair just nodded, and I paused in front of the door to the bridge.  
  
"Lend me your support and I promise I'll help end this war with as little excess bloodshed as possible."   
  
Blair nodded, and held out his hand, then said quietly, "I won't betray Confed, but I will support a course of action that sees as few lives lost as possible. Too many people have died already."  
  
Shaking his hand, I nodded once, then entered the bridge, organizing my thoughts and preparing for the rough road ahead. 


	5. Chapter 5

From the bridge of an Executor-class Star Destroyer, I couldn't help but feel empowered as the tunnel of hyperspace swirled past. Makoto and Nabiki were still in Science, and looking out at the various blues that flashed by, I frowned in thought, before turning to Blair.  
  
"Are the Jump Points instantaneous?"  
  
"You meant the jumps? Yeah. As far as we can tell they are. Or, really, if there's any delay between leaving one point and arriving at another, it's insignificant."  
  
"Could a Jump drive be fitted on this ship?"  
  
"It'd have to be a hell of a drive, but I don't see why not," he replied. I nodded, then looked out the window.  
  
"Thinking of coupling one with the 'hyperdrives' you already have on this ship?" he asked, glancing out the window. Flint and Maniac moved a little closer, watching the blue fly by, but also listening in on our conversation.  
  
"Something like that. System-to-system flights take a little longer than I'd prefer. But if I could hop from one point in a system to another, then jump from one system to the next, unless I was going around my ass to get to my elbow, I'd probably save a lot of time."  
  
"Sounds reasonable," Blair muttered.  
  
"Somethin' on your mind, Colonel?" Manic asked, noticing the faraway look in Blair's eye.  
  
"Still feeling those female hormones, eh Maniac?" Flint teased.  
  
"Shut up! That's not it at all!" Maniac snapped back.  
  
"There is something on my mind, actually. If Kyle," He looked at me for a moment, before looking back out at Hyperspace, "can do what he proposes, then this war is as good as over."  
  
"Just like that?" Maniac asked, sounding a little subdued himself.  
  
"Just like that." Blair replied.  
  
While the three of them contemplated that, staring out at the passing of Hyperspace, I took a step back, before turning to go.  
  
Leaving the bridge, I frowned in thought while I made my way to hangar bay Makoto and I had used to spar in, a whole universe away. Pausing to dredge up the memory, I starter to do the beginner form my Tae-kwon-do instructor had drilled into me years and years ago.  
  
If I was in for a fight, as Kami had hinted at, then I needed to work on my martial arts so I didn't loose what skills I'd gained when my wish was granted. Training would require something to help push myself and Makoto past our current level, which was, at the moment, probably one of the best in the universe.   
  
Makoto, with her experience in the Supernatural, as well as her half-history growing up in Japan, would probably be able to learn Ranma's more flashy Ki-attacks. My upbringing and logical-to-a-fault philosophy on life (despite meeting Kami, getting wishes and meeting Anime characters) prevented me from fully believing in all that, though I knew I was using my Ki to make my gravity-defying leaps and over-powered punches.  
  
Ranma had one move, however, that I could dissect from almost all angles and not find an impossibility with. The Chestnut fist, or Kachu Tenshin Amaguriken. Ranma had learned how to do it with both arms, but later had shown that he could do it with each arm seperately, if need be. If I could learn it, then apply it to my legs, I might be able to make some sort of separate, speed-based school out of it. So now all I needed was to start training.  
  
Bringing my thoughts back to the present, I blinked as I realized I'd just launched myself into the air and done a series of kicks. The first form I'd been taught had no jumping. Or kicking. Just blocks and punches. However, Anything-Goes, which I'd wish to be trained in, more than likely had lots of Arial attacks.  
  
Relaxing, I stood still for a moment, before experimenting and throwing a quick kick. Feeling an urge to punch after I'd lowered my foot, I did, and soon found myself working out a Kata from the Anything-Goes School. When it was all finished, I started it again, and kept repeating it while I closed my eyes and tried to work out what attacks this Kata was dodging, blocking, and countering.  
  
Finally I stopped, pausing to wonder why I felt so tired. I hadn't been working out that long, had I?  
  
"SHODAN, how long have I been in here?"  
  
"You've been... dancing for four hours, Kyle. Makoto was somewhat upset you didn't ask her to join you, and is currently on her way there to discuss a new project with you."  
  
"New project?" I asked, wiping the sweat off my face with my shirt.  
  
"I'll let her explain," SHODAN said, right before the door opened.   
  
Makoto walked in, frowning slightly as she stopped before me.  
  
"Ehh... Hiya," I said, grinning nervously.  
  
"You didn't even bother to ask." She said, sighing. I sighed as well, and took her hand in mine.  
  
"You and Nabiki stayed behind and I thought you two were working on something, so I didn't want to interrupt you."  
  
"Whatever you say, Kyle." I sighed again, and sat down on the floor.  
  
"I'll make it up to you, I promise." Makoto raised a brow at that, but said nothing, and I smiled up at her, "you'll see. SHODAN said you had something you wanted to tell me?"  
  
"Yeah. Nabiki and I came up with a weapon of sorts that would work around shielding. It's still just a concept, but should theoretically work on anything within range."  
  
"Oh?" I said, standing up. Makoto nodded, and started following me as I made my way out the door.  
  
"This way," Makoto said, before continuing, "Basically, it's using two tractor beams to tear a target apart. One holds part of the target stationary, while the other pulls it towards the ship."  
  
"I thought Tractor beams couldn't catch fast-moving objects like fighters, unless they were heading almost straight towards the emitter."  
  
"Landing tractors can't, but that's because they're designed to protect the contents of whatever they capture. Cantrell says a re-calibrated Tractor designed as a weapon could be employed to capture a fast-moving fighter."  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Yeah, I know it sounds like something you think someone would have tried, but most people think with their laser cannons, and not with their heads." I blinked at that, then shrugged, taking it at face-value instead of the innuendo. Looking around, I realized we'd re-entered the Science area, and one of the walls was now displaying a device that I assumed was a tractor beam array.  
  
"Ah, Lord Kyle. Lady Makoto and Admiral Tendo have both proven their mental powress with this new weapon system." Cantrell said as I entered. Glancing over at Nabiki, I saw she was leaning over a smaller screen, conferring with a couple of officers in lab-coats.  
  
"So Makoto has said. How come the original Empire never considered this as a possible weapon?"  
  
"Well, in retrospect, It more than likey has been considered, but few ships would have the power to spare on such a weapon. Especially when most larger ships had a companion ship, if not an escort to help defend it."  
  
"Ahh.. and without either, we seem to have more use for this." I said, nodding.  
  
"Precisely. With 13 sublight thrusters, each with it's own reactor, the Jupiter's Thunder has more then enough power-output capacity to employ these weapons-grade tractor array."  
  
"How do they work? Makoto explained how it causes damage, but I'm curious as to how they would snag fighters at high speeds."  
  
"Admiral Tendo came up with the solution for that. Instead of a wide beam that would encompass the entire fighter, these new arrays fire very tight beams that are only centimeters in diameter. The effect on fighters flying at high speeds would be similar to flying through a gravity well in hyperspace."  
  
"Can a ships inertial dampeners handle that?" I asked, frowning at the thought of a fighter going from kilometers a second to nothing in an instant.  
  
"Some could. It's a bit moot, since this is a weapon, however. If the pilot does survive, the Dampeners, at least the ones from the Empire's universe, would shatter from the overload."  
  
"Sounds... oh.. well.. weapons, right? Oh well. So they stop the ship in it's tracks. Then what?"  
  
"As I'm sure Lady Makoto explained, a second beam of similar size and intensity proceeds to warp the target until it tears itself apart. Suffice to say, unless we beam the pilot aboard the moment the first beam stops the fighter, then the pilot is going to die."  
  
"Unless their Inertial Dampener is up to the task of taking all that energy," I said quietly.  
  
"Correct, my Lord. And even then, the warping will effect the less-rigid organic material nearby adversely. It'll be quick, but painful."  
  
I nodded quietly, before looking at Makoto, "It's your call. Mount them if you want, and next time we get into a skirmish, we can give them a test."  
  
Makoto nodded, before looking around and joining Nabiki. I made my way towards the wall of tubes, and glanced up at them with a small grin.   
  
"So many choices for the Genocidal Emperor. And his bloodthirsty son."  
  
"Ahh... my Lord, to approach the Tanks, you have to don one of these flight suits-" my frown cut his protest short, and I quirked a brow.  
  
"It's safe now, right? Didn't you say you had some sort of forcefield up?"  
  
"Well, yes, Lord Kyle, but..." I waved it off, and he nodded, before glancing at the wall, then back at me. "What sort of delivery method do you intend to use?" Cantrell asked, coming up to stand beside me. I shrugged, glancing at the tanks and noting that there were no labels on them.  
  
"I'm not sure, yet. How do you know which tank is which?"  
  
"They're all filed in the computer. There's a chart on the wall to your left, My Lord." Cantrell said, nodding his head in the direction mentioned. I walked over there, and reached out to take the clipboard when I felt a painful tingle in my fingertips. Jerking my hand back, Cantrell blushed, then moved over to a console.  
  
"Terribly sorry, Lord Kyle. The Forcefield needs to be deactivated. We'll have to re-mount the board somewhere more accessable, now that I think about it."  
  
I nodded absently, waiting for Cantrell to drop the field. My fingertip tingled, and I scratched at it with my thumbnail to see if was damaged. It felt a little numb, but the skin was still looking alive, so I didn't think it was permanently damaged. There was a subtle bass-y hum that died away to nothing, and Cantrell looked up at me from his board and nodded.  
  
I grabbed the clipboard, and glanced at it's outline of the wall, reading the labels quickly. I paused at the Yeti-riding-a-bull-while-carrying-a-crane-and-an-eel tank, before shaking my head. Moving on, I realized I was reading by the light of one of the tanks of Nyanichuan, and looked into the water that bubbled inches away.   
  
"My lord, there haven't been any.. uhh.. accidents since the forcefield was installed, and-" I stood up and frowned at him again.  
  
"Why are you so adamant about that? I'm pretty sure I can dodge a squirt or two."  
  
Throughout my life I'd always done little things to tempt fate. This was another subconcious taunt at the universe, nevermind the fact that this wasn't my universe to begin with. My only warning was a faint popping noise, and a stream of water shot out over my shoulder and splattered on the clipboard, wetting the papers immediately.   
  
"AUGH!" I shouded, dropping the board before the water could drop down to the edge and onto my shirt. Another faint popping right behind my head, and I ducked a stronger squirt that hit the deck a yard away from the wall. I jumped towards Cantrell, intending to appologize, when I suddenly bounced off an invisible wall.  
  
"SON OF A BITCH!" I shouted, rubbing my forehead as I fell back to the deck.  
  
"There's an emergency forcefield, give us a second to shut it down!" Cantrell said, typing furiously at his keyboard.  
  
"SHODAN, Shut it off!" I shouted, rolling to the side as another stream of water hit the deck where my head had just rested. My numb and throbbing forehead forgotten, I jumped to my feet and moved away from the area, hoping the failure was constrained to this end of the tanks.   
  
"Unable to comply. The Field is controlled by a separate computer system I have no access to."  
  
"Beam me out of here, then!" I shouted, watching the water splatter on the grill-like deck before sinking through the cracks.   
  
"She can't, this deck is sealed from the teleporter system. It was done so that if the curses became airborne, they couldn't be beamed in or out!' Cantrell cried, typing some more, "I'm almost there!"  
  
Suddenly a new stream, shooting from the top row, arched out towards Cantrell, impacting the forcefield right in front of him. Cantrell stumbled back, falling flat on his ass, and, had I not found myself on the wrong side of the invisible wall, I would have found the situation hilarious.   
  
As it was, I heard another popping noise, and I jumped out of the way of a new stream of water that would have hit my arm. Cantrell got up and sighed, typing again.  
  
"Shut the wall off Cantrell..." Makoto growled, her hands balled up into fists.  
  
"I can't! If the field detects water, it can't be shut off untill the inner field is brought back up." Nabiki groaned at that, and I heard a sloshing noise below me. Apparently, the grill didn't extend down to a new deck, but a more solid-looking floor below. I could see the water beginning to rise between the cracks in the grill, and my eyes widened in horror. If the water rose much higher, I'd be up to my ankles in mixed water. Whatever I became would not be pretty.  
  
There was a sudden thrum, followed by a shudder, and I blinked, looking around the room, wondering what had caused the noise.  
  
"There appears to be an uncharted singularity along the hyperspace route we chose. Plotting a safe course around it," SHODAN announced. Glancing at the window, I saw that the blue of hyperspace had been replaced with stars, and sighed.  
  
"What else could go wrong?" I asked, dodging another sudden leak. There was a higher pitched noise, and I looked at the nearest tank in horror, as a crack slowly grew in a small semi-circle. Two more cracks appeared above it, and my horror grew as I realized they made a crude smiley face.   
  
"MAN WATER! WHERE IS IT?" I shouted, jumping back and getting ready to leap at the indicated tube.   
  
"Two up, seven over!" a technicial shouted. I leapt at the tube and latched onto it like a Koala bear. There was a loud Snap, followed by a twisting sensation, and suddenly the entire tube fell off the wall, twisting as it tore away from the wires, pipes, and welded metal strips that held it in place.   
  
Pushing awa from the tube as I fell, I watched it shatter, launching water everwhere. Fortunately, being a guy already, it had no effect on me. I quickly jumped back at the hole I'd made in the wall, and watched the water beneath the grill splash up where the tube had impacted.   
  
"Whoever designed this fucking system is getting SPACED!" I shouted, cowering in the opening. Near Nabiki one of the Technician's eyes rolled up in his head, and he hit the floor in a heap.   
  
"Floor-field activated." A recording said, suddenly. I looked down and watched as the water splashed up against an invisible wall. The leaks at the far end were all still going, however, and I watched as the water began spreading on the forcefield. Fortunately, the waters fell off an invisible edge near the wall of tubes, and the forcefield floor seemed to slant towards the wall just enough to keep the flow primarily in that direction.  
  
"Almost there..." Cantrell said, typing furiously. I jumped down, not liking the way the tubes around me were groaning as if they were about to fall apart. Unfortunately, the forcefield was slicker than snot, and I fell back before sliding into the nearest tube. My hands and back were numb from the contact with the forcefield, but I ignored the loss of sensation, as I heard another faint pop, and had to roll to the side to avoid another stream.   
  
"Jump away from the wall on three!" Cantrell shouted, still typing.  
  
"One!" I started rolling with my feet against the wall below the lower tubes, and gritted my teeth as Cantrell counted.  
  
"Two!" I paused, crouching against the wall, my hands braced against the floor to push me up and away from the wall.   
  
"THREE!" Cantrell shouted. The lights flickered off, and I sprang, crossing my arms infront of me incase the forcefield infront fo me hadn't come down as planned. Fortunately, I passed the point the wall had been, and grinned, right before I planted my face in the much more substantial far wall.  
  
"Kyle!"  
  
"Kyle!"  
  
"My Lord!"  
  
"Human..."  
  
Cantrell, Makoto, and Nabiki all glared at the camera SHODAN had in the corner. Cracking my eyes, I saw shapes moving in the semi-darkness, and realized that the only light was from the diodes and screens scattered throughout the room.  
  
"Err... Kyle, are you allright?" SHODAN asked, sounding bored.  
  
"Two legs, two arms, one head.. he's still Human," Nabiki muttered, sitting on a nearby chair. The room was still spinning rapidly, and I shook my head, only to moan as I made things a lot worse.  
  
"You took a nasty bump, I'll call medical," Cantrell said, moving towards the intercom.  
  
Makoto swept me up in a hug, and I winced in pain as my head was pulled rapidly off the wall, and flopped over her shoulder. Trying to hold onto conciousness, I felt Makoto's grip tighten suddenly, then loosen completely, causing me to fall back into the wall again. The darkness was filled with light for a moment, then stars, and I felt everything slipping away into blisful unconciousness.  
  
"He's a she," and everything went black. 


	6. Chapter 6

"Kyle? Kyle, can you hear me?"  
  
Struggling to clear the cobwebs from my head, I focused on the voice. It was familiar... loving. Oh yeah, Makoto's voice. My wife. Sailor Jupiter. I tried to respond.  
  
"Mhrfhlk." Whoops. Apparently I had a few more cobwebs to clear up. Finally, I decided to crack my eyes and see where I was. It felt like I was in a bed, most likely our bed, on the Thunder. But I couldn't really remember yesterday.  
  
Opening my eyes confirmed my suspicions. At least, some of them. I was lying in our bed, and after the room came into focus around me, I saw Makoto standing beside the bed looking at me with with concern in her eyes.  
  
"Eh.. What happened?" I muttered, Rubbing a sore spot on my hip, and realizing there were sore spots all over.  
  
"You don't remember?" Makoto asked, her frown deepning.   
  
"No. I.. well.. wait. I remember... you and Nabiki and the Tractor weapon... and then.."  
  
Water. Dodging water. I remember the sounds and the fear and the looks of horror on everyone's face.  
  
"I got out. I jumped away, right?" I said, trying to remember past Cantrell's countdown.  
  
"You jumped away, but hit the far wall pretty hard. You've been out for almost a day."  
  
Looking at my hands, I could see they were mine, but frowned.  
  
"Did I get wet?" Makoto just nodded, and I sighed.  
  
"I should have known better. Well... give me a glass of water, and lemmie see what I turn into." I said, shuffling towards the side of the bed. The movement of my head caused a headache I hadn't realized I had throb, pausing me mid-shuffle.   
  
"And some asprin with that water," I amended, moving a bit slower towards the edge of the bed.   
  
Makoto hesitated, and I quirked a brow at her, "I don't turn into something dangerous, do I?" My eyes grew wide "It's not one of those personality springs is it?"   
  
"Well, no, but it's just..." she said, hesitantly. Apparently she didn't think I'd want to hear what I was cursed by. Standing up, and wobling on my feet for a moment, I stepped over to her and wrapped her up in a hug.  
  
"Don't worry about me. We'll find some way to fix it." Makoto wrapped her arms around me, and buried her face in my shoulder. Feeling how unstead on her feet she was, I shuffled over to the bed and sat both of us down.  
  
Holding on to her gently, I heard her muffled sniffle, and sighed, tightening the hug.  
  
"It's allright. I'm allright. Just a little headache." She hugged me a little tighter, and I felt the steady pain of a pulled muscle under a bruise being jabbed beneath her elbow.  
  
"And some other various little boo-boos." I said, frowning. Apparently, I hit that wall a little harder than I thought.  
  
"It's not..." Makoto started, pulling back to look at me, "I just.. when you were dodging all that water, and I could see how close it kept coming, and then the water coming up from beneath you, and everyone was yelling..."  
  
I nodded, hugging her, "I understand. I gave you a hell of a scare, didn't I?" Of course, I gave myself a hell of a scare, being in there dancing around the cursed water. Makoto just nodded and I gave her a little squeeze before disengaging and planting a quick kiss on her lips. I turned towards the bathroom, and the cold water within.  
  
"You never said what I turn into..." I said, slowly. While I wasn't totally worried, I was still hesitant to find out I turned into a dog or a cat or a duck or.. well, it could be almost anything. Makoto said it wasn't weird, but then, that left a lot of things that I could still become.. not to mention the fact that simply being able to transform into something was weird enough already.  
  
"Ahh.." She said, right behind me. I jumped at her sudden proximity, while she continued, "you'll see. I don't want to.. dissapoint you."  
  
Nodding softly, I poured myself a glass of hot water, handing it to Makoto, before pouring a second glass of cold water.   
  
"Here goes..." I said, watching her. She looked worried, but I could see an infantile smirk tugging up the corner of her mouth. I was about to question it, when I shook it off. I'd find out soon enough, whatever it was.   
  
"Okay.. here I go..." I said, lifting the glass to eye level. I could see it shaking, and inwardly scowled at my jitters. I could handle this.. whatever "this" was.  
  
"Allright, I.." Makoto's hand flashed out, and I felt a splash of cold water hit my in the face.  
  
"The hell!" I shouted, wiping the water out of my eyes.  
  
"You were taking too long!" She responded. I shook my head, then looked at her.   
  
"I'm not cu..." I started, then trailed off as I heard my voice. Makoto nodded softly, and I turned to the mirror.  
  
"I AM cursed. A girl." I said, staring at the stranger in the mirror. Of all the waters to have their chance at hitting me, I got hit by the same curse that got Ranma and Herb.  
  
"Well.. two arms, two legs, one head... at least you're human," Makoto said, softly.   
  
My arms, were a bit skinnier than they had been before, and were devoid of the thicker hair I usually had. Instead of the darker hispanic skin I'd grown used to, I had pale skin that looked like I'd never spent more than a couple minutes of my life in the sun.  
  
In the morror, I saw my hair was a lot longer as a girl, and straight, as opposed to the curls I'd grown up with. It was a dark brown, almost black, and fell around my face kinda like Jennifer Aniston, from "Friends."  
  
"Well... I'm hot. How about that?" I muttered. Large brown eyes stared back at me from a pale face that would have been hard to look away from. High cheekbones, a cute, upturned nose, pink lips, long lashes, thin eyebrows...  
  
"You're... taking this well..." Makoto said, beside me. Looking at her, I realized we were about eye-to-eye now, meaning I'd lost a bit of height. Staring at the mirror, I realized, also, there were two things that stuck out, now that I'd realized it.  
  
"Ack! I've got breasts!"  
  
"Yeah. Most girls have them." Makoto said, frowning. I reached up to cup them, then stopped, looking at Makoto.   
  
"This is... weird." I said, looking down at the two lumps occupying my shirt, and then at my reflection in the mirror. Squeezing my legs together, I frowned at the loss of something I'd been quite attached to, but looked at the warm water Makoto held in her hand.  
  
"A penis is only a glass of hot water away..." I muttered, poking at my ribs tenatively. There was a thin layer of fat there, and I frowned, pulling the shirt up enough to look at my stomach in the mirror. While I could feel the fat by poking at it, there was no denying the outline of a 4-pack. Grinning, I dropped the shirt, resisting the urge to rip it off and stare at my bare chest. I'd wait for Makoto to leave before examining all that.  
  
"Why are you staring at me like that?" I asked, finally spotting the guarded look on her face.  
  
"I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop," She said, the glass of water held where she could launch it at me at a moments notice.  
  
"Well... I could bemoan my fate, and curse my luck and hate my life... but if I did, I'd basically be wasting my time. Besides, I can talk, I can walk.. I have an opposable thumb... All in all, this isn't bad, considering what I could have become."  
  
"But... you're a girl!" Makoto asked, looking shocked.  
  
"Yep. And so are you. But you don't complain about it, so why should I? I wasn't raised to think any less of someone due to their sex, so why should I feel this body is a handicap?"  
  
"Well.. I dunno. I just thought you'd be upset, or something."  
  
"I am upset! What's the crew going to think about their leader, who now becomes a rather hot girl with a little cold water?"  
  
"But you aren't personally upset about it?"  
  
"Well... There are some downsides. As with Ranma, I bet I'll be weaker, when it comes to overall strength. Then there's 'that time of the month' I'll have to find out how to avoid. I dunno if my metabolism is as fast, or if I'll have to cut back on my food... or change before I eat..."  
  
"Those... that's all you're worried about?" Makoto asked, finally. I nodded, glancing at the mirror one more time, before shrugging.  
  
"I'll have to remember what I look like, too. Seeing a stranger in the mirror would be weird."   
  
Makoto nodded softly, and I took the glass of hot water from her. While I moved, I felt my pants slide down a little, and the sleeves of the shirt I was wearing slide down over my hands. Shaking my hands free, I took the glass, and dumped it on my head, feeling the clothes slide as I greaw back into them.  
  
"Back." I said, feeling my chest, then my crotch, just to be sure. Makoto chuckled slightly, and I grabbed a towel, drying off as much as possible.   
  
Looking at the clock on the wall, I asked Makoto where everyone was while I changed into dryer clothes.   
  
"Nabiki is working with Cantrell on the Tractor Projectors, Our guests have been watching Episodes of Ranma, and I've been watching over you while you rested."  
  
"Have you gotten any sleep?" I asked, frowning. Despite my being down and out, I hoped my wife hadn't spent the entire time watching over me.  
  
"Yeah, well, you were in our bed. So I got to keep you warm while you were sleeping," she grinned. I chuckled, and slid into my shoes.  
  
"Well, lets go see where we are in the universe. We come out of Hyperspace a little later today, if I remember correctly."  
  
"Yeah, pretty soon, actually. To the bridge, then?"  
  
"Yep," I said, stepping out the door. Captains Bowen and Archer were standing outside the door, looking as alert as ever, and I nodded at them as they started following us.  
  
The Bridge of the Jupiter's Thunder went to attention as I entered, and I set them all at ease before taking a seat in my chair. A moment later, a datapad was handed to me with a summary of the previous interstellar battle.   
  
"Hmm.." I mumbled, reading it. Makoto leaned over my shoulder, and snorted in surprise.  
  
"Nice Ratio, there. I think the TIEs outgunned most of the fighters out there."  
  
"Some of them did. The Regular TIE-Fighters were abour even, all-told." I glanced around the bridge, then, then motioned Captan Archer over, remembering a comment I'd made a while ago.  
  
"Can we run a wing of TIEs through the W-Ds, and get a wing of TIE-Defenders? I know TIE-Fighters are considered the backbone of the Imperial Navy, but replacing standard fighters with superior fighters just seems more logical to me."  
  
"Well, Milord," I blinked at that, then shrugged; a little more variation would help, "Typically, Imperial ships with Hangars are assigned TIE-Fighters due to their low cost, compared to the extreme cost an equal-numbered wing of TIE-Defenders costs in comparison. Likewise, all Pilots are taught in TIE-Fighters, and have to be trained to fly the superior Defender-class TIEs."  
  
"Ahh... those are the only problems then?"   
  
"Well, the TIE-Defender has three Solar Panels, while the TIE-Fighter only has two. Despite the smaller size of the individual solar panels on the Defenders, There's still not enough on a single TIE-Fighter to make a Defender. The Ratio would leave us somewhat short."  
  
"The Ratio is approximately 3 TIE-Defenders for every 4 TIE-Fighters sacraficed." SHODAN said from a speaker off to the left. Nodding softly, I turned towards the viewport, and the Tunnel of Hyperspace beyond it, before nodding.   
  
"Send a wing through and get started training the Pilots who's ships are being converted. The Pilots left without a ship should be cycled into the Squadron of their choice. SHODAN, patch me through to Cantrell."  
  
"Connected." The AI said, smugly, as a screen flickered to life. It showed Science, and a bunch of scientists leaning over a table with Nabiki, but no Cantrell.  
  
"Commander Cantrell?" I asked, quirking a brow. One of the figures straightened up, and I realized that some of those scientists were really just Officers in Lab-Coats. Cantrell moved over to the screen, looking somewhat subdued, and I frowned slightly.   
  
"Something wrong?"  
  
"Well, My Lord, it's just... your accident, and... I'm dreadfully sorry I didn't work faster to get you out of there. I-" I cut him off with a wave of my hand, and he swallowed audibly.  
  
"What's done is done, and all that jazz. I want a report on Everything you know about the Jusenkyo water, the Curses, with a list of theories concerning them as well. As soon as possible. I'd also like whatever video feeds you have of that... accident." Cantrell nodded, and I turned away from the screen before he could object or say anything else.  
  
"What's our time left in Hyperspace?"  
  
"One Minute" someone relied from the Navigation area. I nodded, glad someone was actually loosening up enough to retain an informal attitude.   
  
"I want shields up, and Turbolaser Batteries charging the moment we make the jump back to sub-light. There shouldn't be a fight, but I'd rather be safe than sorry."  
  
The Crew hurried to carry out my request, and from the Navigation area, I heard the countdown begin.  
  
"10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1..." The Tunnel collapsed into starlines, which shrunk untill they became pinpoints of light.   
  
___________________________________________________________________________________________  
  
Author's Notes:  
  
Woohoo! Another Chapter down. Sorry I took so long.. damned thing... I had almost all of it the day after chapter 5 was published, but couldn't, for the life of me, figure out how to end this one. So it's a nice little quasi-cliffhanger. Woohoo.  
  
As for the question everyone is probably asking, I'm not reacting violently or much at all to the curse becase.. well.. even if I were to get it in real life, I'd just mumble a "This sucks," and try to carry on. Ranma's utter dislike (and Herb's, for that matter) of the Curse was due to an upbringing that basically saw women as second-class citizens.  
  
Such a handicap isn't, thankfully, a fault of mine, so I can't see myself bemoaning the loss of muscular strength, when that's the only real "weakness" men can claim woman have.   
  
Also, with the exposure to Ranma, I, like you all, kind of know what Jusenkyo entails. So the surprise, outrage, and shock are all going to be lessened.   
  
Anyways... Next, I'm going to write a report/thingy on Jusenkyo, like my Avatar asked Cantrell to do. I'll list all the rules of Jusenkyo that I'm writing by, and that way I'll have a reference, as will you. Plus it'll be kinda fun, I think.   
  
Anyways... Time to check over and publish. Seeya next time. 


	7. Jusenkyo Report

~Note: Lord Kyle, Despite my colleagues and I's background's in fields pertaining to science, We've been utterly incapable of disproving the notion that these springs' water is anything other than magical/mystical in origin. This report houses all the information we've discovered concerning the curse, and applications we've created/theorized, but will hold little information on the origins of Jusenkyo.  
  
Table of Contents:  
  
Section 1: List of Springs  
  
-Categories  
  
-List  
  
Section 2: Properties of Cursed Water  
  
-Macroscopic  
  
-Microscopic  
  
-Quantum  
  
Section 3: Properties of Curses  
  
-Application  
  
-Activation  
  
-Modification  
  
-Purification  
  
Section 4: Applications of Water/Curses  
  
Section 5: Theories/Ideas Concerning Water/Curses.  
  
-Theories of Origin  
  
-Possible Applications  
  
-Unsolved Problems  
  
Appendix A: Testing procedures  
  
Appendix B: Mishap-Induced Curse Victims.  
  
Appendix C: Accident Prevention  
  
Section 1:  
  
-Categories  
  
Of the 124 Springs located in Jusenkyo, 3 are uncursed waters, in which careful experimentation has proven that they are capable of being given templates.   
  
Out of the 121 left, 23 are capable of effecting a victims personality. Subsequently, 8 of those 23 are creatures from Myth or Fantasy, 10 are form-and-mind changing, and the remainder are mind-altering only.  
  
Of the 121 cursed springs, 15 are Creatures or beings of a mythical or fantastic nature (ie: Demons, Angels, Faeries, etc..) including the 8 that change the mind as well as the body, listed above.  
  
From the remaining 91 springs, 8 contain templates for Species from known non-terrestrial planets.  
  
Of the 73 left, 4 springs produced species unknown by SHODAN, or the Galactic Database aboard the Jupiter's Thunder (covering the Star Wars universe).  
  
In the remaing 69, 14 of the springs are duplicates, 3 of which belong to the sub-groups listed above, the remaining 11 belonging to species standard to your Earth.  
  
The Waters also have two distinct types, which appear to vary randomly. In the following list, they will be listed as type 1, and type 2. The details of both types will be included in Section 3.  
  
Finally, all Curses are non-gender-specific unless a specific gender is stated. A male splashed by duck water becomes a male duck, a woman splashed by Angel-male water becomes a Male Angel.  
  
-List  
  
Uncursed Waters(type)  
  
1. Uncursed(1)  
  
2. Uncursed(1)  
  
3. Uncursed(2)  
  
Form and Personality Waters(form/mind)(type)  
  
4. Weak Man/Philosophical(2)  
  
5. Old Man/Lecherous(2)  
  
6. Young Woman/Subject considers self a fiance of Ranma Saotome, via Genma Saotome(2)  
  
7. Old Woman/Senile(1)  
  
8. Voluptuous Woman/Lecherous(2)  
  
9. Child/Spoiled(1)  
  
10. Swan(1)  
  
11. Boar(2)  
  
12. Dog(2)  
  
13. Cat(1)  
  
Personality Waters(mindset)(type)   
  
14. Drunk(2)  
  
15. Imbecile(2)  
  
16. Genius(2)  
  
17. Letcher(2)  
  
18. Hero(2)  
  
Mythical Waters w/personality alterations(form)(type)  
  
19. Minor Demon(2)  
  
20. Demon(2)  
  
21. Tentacle Demon(2)  
  
22. Angel(2)  
  
23. Godling(1)  
  
24. Unicorn(1)  
  
25. Dragon(2)  
  
26. Ashura(2)  
  
Mythical Waters(form)(type)  
  
27. Demon(2)  
  
28. Demoness(2)  
  
29. Angel-Male(2)  
  
30. Angel-Female(2)  
  
31. Yeti-Riding-a-Bull-While-Carrying-an-Eel-and-a-Crane(2)  
  
32. Faerie(1)  
  
33. Sprite(2)  
  
Known Non-Human Species Not of Earth Waters(form)(type)  
  
34. Jurian(2)  
  
35. Saiyan(2)  
  
36. Twi'lek(1)  
  
37. Trandoshan(1)  
  
38. Klingon(1)  
  
39. Romulan(1)  
  
40. Ewok(2)  
  
41. Borg(1)  
  
Unknown Alien Species Waters(brief description)(type)  
  
42. Gray(1)  
  
43. Hairy, Multi-Limbed Beast(1)  
  
44. Slimy, Giant-Worm(2)  
  
45. Parasitic Brain-encasing Slug(1)  
  
Terrestrial Species Waters  
  
46. Male(1)  
  
47. Young Male(2)  
  
48. Old Male(1)  
  
49. Female(1)  
  
50. Young Female(1)  
  
51. Old Female(2)  
  
52. Twins(1)  
  
53. Ant-eater(1)  
  
54. Boar(1)  
  
55. Buffalo(1)  
  
56. Cat(1)  
  
57. Cat(2)  
  
58. Dog-Male(1)  
  
59. Dog-Female(1)  
  
60. Duck-Male(1)  
  
61. Duck-Male(2)  
  
62. Duck-Female(2)  
  
63. Donkey(1)  
  
64. Elephant(1)  
  
65. Elephant(2)  
  
66. Frog(2)  
  
67. Giraffe-Male(1)  
  
68. Giraffe-Female(2)  
  
69. Horse(1)  
  
70. Horse(2)  
  
71. Icthyosaur(1)  
  
72. Jackal-Male(1)  
  
73. Jackal-Female(2)  
  
74. Jaguar-Male(1)  
  
75. Kingfisher(2)  
  
76. Lion-Male(1)  
  
78. Lion-Male(2)  
  
79. Lion-Female(1)  
  
80. Lion-Female(2)  
  
81. Monkey(2)  
  
82. Octopus(2)  
  
83. Panther-Female(1)  
  
84. Panther-Female(2)  
  
85. Piglet-black(1)  
  
86. Porcupine(1)  
  
87. Porcupine(2)  
  
88. Quail(2)  
  
89. Racoon(1)  
  
90. Rat-Male(1)  
  
91. Rat-Female(1)  
  
92. Rat-Female(2)  
  
93. Snake, Venomous(1)  
  
94. Snake, Constrictor(1)  
  
95. Snake, Constrictor(2)  
  
96. Tiger-Male(1)  
  
97. Tiger-Male(2)  
  
98. Tiger-Female(2)  
  
99. Three-Toed Sloth(1)  
  
100. Turtle(1)  
  
101. Turtle(2)  
  
102. Vulture(1)  
  
103. Vulture(2)  
  
104. Water Buffalo-Male(2)  
  
105. Yak-Male(2)  
  
106. Yak-Female(1)  
  
107. Yak-Female(2)  
  
108. Zebra-Male(1)  
  
109. Zebra-Male(2)  
  
110. Zebra-Female(2)  
  
Duplicate springs(number)  
  
111. 2  
  
112. 7  
  
113. 11  
  
114. 34  
  
115. 35  
  
116. 45  
  
117. 48  
  
118. 53  
  
119. 56  
  
120. 70  
  
121. 76  
  
122. 82  
  
123. 88  
  
124. 101  
  
Section 2  
  
-Macroscopic  
  
Taken directly from Jusenkyo, the water is easily defined as fresh spring water, coming from an underground source at, or around 60 degrees, Farenheit. Sediment is visible to the naked eye, and under the microscope, and is mostly composed of dissolved rock, the surrounding soil, and the occasional plant-life.  
  
The Surrounding land is temperate, receiving moderate ammount of rain during the spring, summer, and fall. During the winter, the high peaks of the surrounding mountains keep in moisture, and the temperate never falls below freezing.  
  
-Microscopic  
  
One of the first really noticeable oddities of the water is the complete lack of microscopic organisms. The introduction of microscopic organisms is even more misunderstood, as the organisms simply seem to dissapear upon introduction to Jusenkyo's waters. The introduction of water-going (and non-water-going) insects results in a cursed insect.  
  
-Quantum  
  
On the Quantum level, the Water Molecules are standard H20, two Hydrogen Atoms bound to a single Oxygen Molecule, forming a 60-degree angle. The water Freezes at 32 degrees Farenheit, Boils at 212 degrees, and expands as it passes both temperature thresholds.  
  
The water is an average conductor of heat and electricity, and shows no abnormalities, aside from harboring the curses of Jusenkyo. The sediment is typical Carbon- and Silicon-based granules, and displays no outward variation from sediment found in any small, free-standing, spring-fed body of water.  
  
Section 3  
  
-Application  
  
Upon contact with a sufficient ammount of cursed water, an entity is afflicted with whatever curse the contacted water was containing. Along with this "curse" is an underlying effect that most, if not all accursed victims describe. A sort of "water-magnetism" that places the victim in situations or positions where cold water is most likely to strike.   
  
Approximately 10 percent of an individuals surface area must come in contact with the water for a curst to take effect. Where the water is applied has no relevance when receiving the curse for the first time.  
  
-Activation  
  
Temporary nullification of the changes brought on by the waters of Jusenkyo can be had with the application of Hot water. Testing indicates that the water has to be at least as hot as the hotter temperature of the victims two forms. For example, a human male with a cursed turtle form will require water hotter than the 98.6 degrees farenheit the average human male's body keeps. The only time this "greater-body's-heat" hot-water level is rendered invalid is with curses of a mythical nature. Then, 150 degrees farenheit is the minimum for reversion.  
  
-Modification  
  
Curses can be Modified or Nullified, depending on their type.   
  
A type 1 curse is locked as is, and the application more curse-laden water will change the curse from the current type, to whatever new type is applied  
  
A type 2 curse will intergrate some features of any added curse-laden water, resulting in a mixture of all.  
  
The best example is of two people from Jusenkyo's homeworld. Pantyhose Taro has a Type 2 curse. Applying water from other springs only adds new animalistic traits to his yeti-riding-a-bull-whily-carrying-an-eel-and-a-crane body. Ranma Saotome has a type 1 curse. Applying water from another spring will exchange his changed-state from a girl to whatever the water's template is. Therefore, an application of Man water would, in essence, cure him, though he'd retain the "water-magnet" property of the curse.  
  
Mixing Jusenkyo water with regular water has mixed results, depending on volume-ratio, and salinity.  
  
Salt water, mixed with Jusenkyo water will retain the curse on only a 1:1 ratio. The change is non-chain reactive, so a small ammount of cursed water cannot, over time, convert a large body of salt water.   
  
Fresh Water will accept the curse at a 10:1 ratio, meaning a gallon og Jusenkyo water can convert 10 gallons of fresh water without a loss of potency. Once again, the effect is instantaneous as opposed to a general spreading of the curse throughout the water.   
  
Mixing Jusenkyo water results in a cursed form employing charateristics of all waters added. The dominance of any one species is directly related to the ratio of the water to other Jusenkyo waters added to the mixture. For example, the anime-esque "catgirl" could be made by adding a small ammount of cat water to a large ammount of human female water.  
  
-Purification  
  
Cursed water can be purified, resulting in the water itself, and sediment that can apply a "temporary" curse to non-Jusenkyo waters. The resulting water can inflict a Jusenkyo-like curse, but the curse lasts for a limited amount of time only.   
  
Section 4  
  
Jusenkyo's Curses are bound to the Oxygen atom of water molecules. When separated and inhaled, a sufficient exposure to cursed-Oxygen will result in the acquisition of a Jusenkyo curse.  
  
Jusenkyo waters tend to "seek out" a victim if none make contact with its waters through carelessness. This, unfortunately, results in bizarre accidents where new equipment fails, or performs adversely, despite a thurough check before integration with whatever containment system is devised.   
  
Jusenkyo-laden Oxygen can be used to replace some of the Tibanna gas used in standard Blasters and Lasers employed by the Empire. While greatly decreasing the destructive capabilities of the weapon, the Oxygen can imbue the weapon's projectiles with the curse itself, making a curse easily applied with the pull of a trigger, as opposed to a dunking or a splash.  
  
With a type 2 curse, the location additional Jusenkyo water is applied directly effects what is changed. Dipping one's fingertips into a feline spring after having acquired a type 2 curse will result in retractable claws proportionate to the applicant's cursed form.   
  
Section 5  
  
The original purpose of Jusenkyo is exceedingly difficult to resolve, as the forces at work are still undetectable with any scientific measuring device. Even if the "magic" of the springs were detected, analyzed, and understood, the purpose of Jusenkyo might still elude this science team, and any other science team's attempts to ascertain it.  
  
-Theories of Origin:  
  
1. Advanced Ki manipulation Training ground  
  
2. Advanced Magic Training ground  
  
3. Intermediate (or beginner) Magic Training ground  
  
4. Martial Arts Training ground  
  
5. Magical Spell "dump"  
  
6. Staging area for a secret cult to gain the "perfect disguises" with which to watch and eventually take over the world.   
  
The possible applications of Jusenkyo are astounding once the fear and distrust passes. As endless as the posibilities are, so too are the chances to misuse Jusenkyo, with negative results for all involved.  
  
-Possible Applications:  
  
1. Organ transplant hosts via insects.  
  
2. Non-lethal weapon/crowd control  
  
3. Entertainment  
  
4. Punishment  
  
5. Education  
  
6. Infantry enhancement  
  
The final problems are a bit harder to understand without any knowledge of the power that enables Jusenkyo to do what it does. Like the Possible applications, this his is potentially endless, so posed are the ones foremost on the priorities list.  
  
-Unsolved Problems  
  
1. Where does the lost mass go while in the "cursed" form?  
  
2. Where does the excess mass come from when in the "cursed" form?  
  
3. How were the Springs of known-alien types formed in that particular universe?  
  
4. Where did the Mythical creatures that Drowned come from, and are there any more of them?  
  
Appendix A: Testing Procedures.  
  
Permanent Curses  
  
Standard Form-Altering Waters are applied to Small Mammals in of of the Lab's Holding Cells. After testing, the creature is euthanized, then teleported into the heart of the main thruster, for disentegration.  
  
Mystical Form-Altering Waters, as well as Mystical Form and Mind Altering Waters are applied to large insects at a rapid rate by remote in a shielded containment area. Subsequent waters for testing are applied almost immediately thereafter, then the creature is teleported either into the heart of a nearby star, or into space nanoseconds before a jump to hyperspace.  
  
Mind-Altering Waters are applied to primates. After testing, the subject is euthanized and cremated.  
  
Temporary Curses  
  
All Temporary Curses are applied to volunteers, who are then tested, and given an application of hot water. Subjects are detained untill the temporary curse wears off.  
  
Appendix B: Mishap-Induced Curse Victims  
  
Major A. Langham : SoD Jackal-Male(1)  
  
Ensign R. Aprophes : SoD Faerie(1)  
  
Private U. Grant : SoD Demon(1)  
  
Colonel R. Wright : SoD Imbecile(2)  
  
Technician A. Vaugn : SoD Monkey(2)  
  
Technician R. Wagner : SoD Trandoshan(1)  
  
Technician E. Brandt : SoD Twins(1)  
  
Appendix C: Accident Prevention  
  
To prevent accidental applications fo cursed water to personell, the following measures/steps have been taken:  
  
1. All waters are in a visible, highly noticable containers.   
  
2. The Containers are held behind a forcefield that prevents any matter from moving across it.  
  
3. A fail-safe Forcefield will drop if a leak is detected and the primary field is down. Teleportation to/from the area is denied incase cursed water manages to get within the teleportation field.  
  
4. Entering the area to use/test the water requires the application of a temporary type 1 Gender curse of the applicants original gender, followed by donning a standard HAZMAT suit. 


	8. Chapter 7

"That was something else, eh Colonel?" I heard a voice ask behind me. Turning around, I spotted Maniac, as well as Blair and Flint, staring out at the stars in surprise.   
  
"Interesting, isn't it," I said, absently, before turning back to the viewscreen, "SHODAN, see if you can find the Victory. No need to keep Captain Eisen waiting any longer than needed."  
  
"Victory is already within hailing range. They don't seem to have noticed us."  
  
"Keen. See how well this stealth armor works. Get as close as you can undetected," I said, grinning suddenly.  
  
"Err, I doubt very much the Captain would appreciate something so.. childish." Blair said, hesitantly.  
  
"I know, but I do need to know how well I can sneak into a place before being noticed. Besides, I have to get in range to beam you three back over, don't I?"  
  
"I suppose..." Blair mumbled, reluctantly. He suddenly looked up at me, "How are you feeling, anyway? I head you had an accident."  
  
I blanched, then shrugged, realizing that the secret would come out eventually, so why bother pretending it hadn't happened.   
  
"Ahh. Yeah. Well... Shit happens, right? I'll deal," I finally replied.  
  
"Actually, I wasn't told what, exactly, happened, just that there'd been an accident that had you down for a day." Blair stated. Maniac and Flint nodded, and I shrugged again.  
  
"Jusenkyo got me. Just girl water. I'll be cured in a couple hours. Actually, that reminds me..." I said, moving over to the intercom. A low chuckle interrupted me, however. SHODAN's laugh was insane-sounding, and despite having grown somewhat used to her voice, hearing her laugh almost surely at me, was unnerving.  
  
"You think it was girl water. You weren't exactly Hispanic when you splashed yourself, were you?"  
  
"'Hisp-'" I repeated, trailing off. I didn't look like a feminized version of myself, to be sure, but... "what are you implying?"  
  
"Girl water is located on the lower right, if you recall. You were nowhere near that container when you got splashed."  
  
"What?" Makoto asked, surprised. I frowned at the only visible camera, waiting for her to elaborate. SHODAN elaborated with silence. Finally, a nearby screen flickered to life, showing...  
  
"Cantrell here, My Lord. The report has been sent to the data terminal nearest your chair. And... err... I'm afraid there's a bit of a problem with the video, so we can't tell for certain which water you came in contact with."  
  
"Right... gimme a minute to read the report." I said, dazed. I made my way to my chair, my mind spinning with different ideas. Hopefully Cantrell had listed all the springs, but... I glanced down, and skimmed through the note, taking in the details as quickly as I could.  
  
"Hmm.. okay.. numbers... Ha!" I shouted, spotting an apparent Spring of Drownd Ranma Saotome Fiance. No wonder Ranma had so much trouble. I wonder how Genma figures into each one, though? Shrugging off the thought, I resumed reading, paling at the meaning behind the numbers.   
  
"That's not good..." Makoto said, her face inches away. "YAH!" I jumped back, stumbling over the arm of my chair and landing on my butt. "Don't sneak up on me like that!" I said, climbing to my feet.   
  
"If this is right, your curse would have to be... mythical?"  
  
"I dunno. I didn't feel any different in thought or anything, so It wasn't a personality and form one... Maybe Juraian?"  
  
"No, you changed sex. That would just do your species."  
  
"So... Gah! Angel or Demoness?" I cried, looking at the monitor. Cantrell nodded, shakily, and I frowned.  
  
"I don't have any wings or horns or tattoos or.. anything," I said, "maybe it's a screw up? A Jusenkyo Glitch?"   
  
"No, My Lord... Here, this is what video we have of the incident. Two of the cameras went down with the power, but the third captured the moments. Albeit at a bad angle..."  
  
The screen switched to a view of the wall-o-water from across the way. It was obviously enhanced for darkness, but was still remarkably clear. I watched as I prepared to leap, Then groaned as My leap carried me into a spray of water from above, originating off screen. I watched as I changed mid-leap, arms ahead of me to ward off any barriers, and then I disappeared off the bottom of the screen moments before the camera wobbled slightly.   
  
"Oh, man. That was..." I said, gloomily.  
  
"Yeah," Makoto said, looking a little irked as well.  
  
"Hah! That was hilarious!" Maniac said, chuckling to himself, "I've never seen someone move like that, and then, to get hit in the end. Talk about sucky. Glad I'm not you pal," my eyes narrowed briefly, then I shrugged it off, dismissively.   
  
"Right. Someone please Space the Major." I said, seconds before Maniac disappeared. A moment later, he reappeared on the far side of the viewscreen, turning blue almost immediately. Blair and Flint both gave surprised shouts, and I blinked at the sudden situation.  
  
"Belay that order." I said, not having expected SHODAN to act on my previous 'order.' Maniac disappeared again, and suddenly landed at Blair and Flint's feet, curled up in a fetal ball. The other pilots looked shocked, and a little scared, but I saw them both glare at Maniac for a moment before helping him to his feet.  
  
"I'm.. look, Kyle. I'm Sorry, I didn't think it was such a touchy subject." Maniac said, hoarsely. I nodded, then turned my back to them.   
  
"Go get something to drink. The moisture in your lungs and on your skin evaporates rapidly in a vacuum. You'll need to replace it." I said, finishing up the report.  
  
The trio left, and I turned to the wall, where Cantrell waited patiently.  
  
"What was it? Angel? Demoness?" I asked, softly, "And why are there no outward.. doohickeys, that give it away?"  
  
"Well, My Lord, volunteers who tried out those curses appeared relatively normal, until after a thirty-minute period. It seems they have to charge up somehow before they can call forth their powers. Subsequent activation of those curses required no charging period, but physical manifestations of their nature only showed during times of stress."  
  
"Stress..." I muttered, sinking into my chair. Apparently, after 30 minutes in my form, if I got stressed, I'd pop horns or wings. Well... "Someone get me some water."   
  
"Kyle?" Makoto asked, beside me. I smiled at her, nonchalant-like.  
  
"Might as well find out. Apparently the camera angle makes it impossible for even SHODAN to see which of the two curses I received. And both those are type 2, meaning merger, no cure. So.. I might as well..."  
  
Makoto nodded, taking the water from a crewmember, and handing it to me carefully. I smiled at the irony, knowing that it was going to be spilled on my anyway, purposefully if not accidentally, then took it and poured it on my arm.  
  
There was a moment of dizziness, and suddenly the world shifted around me as it had before. Concentrating, I could feel the physical changes, and ignored them for a moment as I tried to feel for any mental or metaphysical changes. After a moment, I felt something I'd not noticed, a barely perceptible feeling of impending... something. And as I concentrated on it, I could feel it slowly growing.  
  
"Kyle?" Makoto asked, waving her hand in my face. I jumped, then smiled sheepishly.   
  
"Sorry, what?"   
  
"Geez, you just zoned out for a couple minutes. You alright?"  
  
"Yeah. Fine. Sorry. Cantrell?" I said, turning back to the monitor for a moment.   
  
"Yes, Lord Kyle?"  
  
"Add this to whatever report you have on... whatever spring it is I fell into. There's a subtle, barely-noticable feeling of impending... something going on during that charge up session."  
  
"Ahh, one of the volunteers mentioned that, but he thought it might have been anticipation, since he knew about the 30 minute wait. I'll add that at once."  
  
I nodded, looking at Makoto, the crew, and then space outside the window. "Ack! How close are we to the Victory?" I asked, staring at the ship that was rapidly filling the viewscreen.   
  
"Definitely within their sensor field. Should we continue in? Or initiate communications?" SHODAN stated.  
  
"Communications." I said, slumping in my seat. Makoto took my hand in hers, and I frowned as I realized her hands were slightly larger than mine.   
  
'how quaint,' I thought to myself, 'I'm dainty.'  
  
Makoto, apparently picking up on my unease, gave my hand a squeeze, and shot me a 'Don't worry' grin. I smiled back, softly, before the Monitor overhead flickered to life, Captain Eisen's face staring into the ship but apparently not seeing anything.  
  
"Kyle, I'm going to have to inquire as to why a ship as intimidating and obviously new as yours is currently suffering a failure of video-transmittance."  
  
"Ahh, well, things happen, even in new ships." I said, realizing after I'd spoken that I sounded absolutely nothing like my usual self.  
  
"And who would this be? Another AI?" Eisen asked, frowning.  
  
"No, I'm... Another Captain. When Kyle is... err... Indisposed, I suppose, I take over for him."  
  
"You're the ship's XO, then?" He asked, giving his camera a questioning glare.  
  
"No, the XO aboard the Thunder would be Makoto."  
  
"So a ship that large requires two CO's. Interesting. By the way, Please tell your Helmsman you needn't approach quite so closely next time you wish to communicate. You nearly gave my Sensors Officer a heart attack when the telemetry from your transmission was finalized."  
  
I chuckled, and turned to Makoto, smiling. She smiled back, but it looked a little forced, and I let it drop, resolving to question it later.  
  
"Captain, I've got a few friends of yours I think are ready to get back onto familiar ground... or deck, whatever the case may be."  
  
"You managed to retrieve Peters and Blair then?"  
  
"Yes. And one other."  
  
"Another? The only other person out there was Maniac. We have visual confirmation of his fighters destruction."  
  
"If you have that, you might have noticed a flash from within his helmet moments before it, and the rest of his null-g suit was pulverized. That was me beaming him aboard."  
  
"Mitchell is Alive?" Eisen asked, surprised. Then, "You can Teleport!?"   
  
I laughed, and nodded, before realizing that he couldn't see me. Rolling my eyes at SHODAN's attempts to "protect" me, I spoke: "Yes, he's alive and.. well.. he's himself."  
  
Eisen nodded, and I stretched, feeling parts of me move in ways they usually don't, and collapsed into the chair, the stretch ending in a rather unsatisfactory manner.  
  
"Captain, We need to shut down our Communications array for a few minutes while we attempt to repair the video feed. I'll see about retrieving your Wing Commander for you, and get you two in contact."  
  
"I'd appreciate that, Captain...?"  
  
"Just call me Lyla." I said, spitting out the first name that came to my head.  
  
"Lyla it is. TCS Victory out."  
  
"Jupiter's Thunder out." I said, jumping to my feet. I paused, then frowned, staring down at the two objects that felt they should bounce when I moved rapidly. Sighing, I turned towards the door.  
  
And bounced to the door. They may not be big, but they had enough weight to be effected by the way I walk. Frowning, I covered them quickly, then yelped slightly as I realized how sensitive they were. Sudden pressure, while fine for a pair of pecs, just didn't sit well with a pair of breasts. Scowling at the world, I started back to the door, only to stop again as the bouncing resumed.  
  
There was something else, though. I could feel it, something I'd forgotten, but it was a growing... Ah!   
  
"I think the thirty minutes are almost up. I feel like something's about to burst," I told Makoto. Realizing she was smiling widely at me, I frowned.  
  
"What?"  
  
"You walk like a guy."  
  
"I do not!" I paused. "I mean.. I do?" I paused again. "Well.. wait. Of course I do! How else should I walk?"  
  
"Like a girl?" Makoto ventured. I shrugged, turning to go again.  
  
"I walk like I want to walk. I refuse to be a slave to this curse. Just as I refuse to freak out about it."  
  
"Oh? Then you don't mind the fact that you're glowing?"  
  
"No, I don- WHAT?" I shouted, turning around. Unfortunately, with my new center of balance, spinning wasn't quite as simple as it should have been, and I fell on my ass again.  
  
There was a sudden (POW) noise, and the room suddenly seemed a bit drafty. Looking down, I realized all the buttons on my shirt had burst, revealing my pale stomach, and the inside of my breasts, though my nipples were apparently still covered. The gasps around me, however, made me turn, and I jumped as I realized there was something big and white directly behind me.  
  
"What the!" I shouted, jumping to my feet, Turning, I realized whatever I'd seen was gone, then realized my balance was suddenly better. Turning my head, I spotted the white object over my shoulder, and I sighed, staring at the ground.  
  
"I'm an angel?" I muttered, looking at my hands. They weren't mine, but they were, and I could feel the conflict begin in the back of my mind as I came to grips with this latest revelation.  
  
"I'm an Angel. A good thing. What the hell." I said, softly.  
  
"Good? Maybe. Obviously no modesty, though." Makoto muttered, stepping up beside me and pulling my short closed. Frowning at the loss of buttons, she sighed, and tied the shirt in a knot while I grew redder and redder.   
  
"I'm.. err... was a guy. Covering my bare chest wasn't something I was taught growing up." I said, trying to walk out the door. Makoto finished her alterations, before examining me from all angles as she circled me.  
  
"What?" I asked, finally.  
  
"You're cute." She replied.  
  
"No I'm not! I'm an Angel! AN ANGEL!" I cried, punching the doorframe.It didn't buckle, but it groaned slightly, and I winced, knowing I'd feel that in a second. Cracking my eye open a second later when no pain was forthcoming, I glanced down at my hand, which looked perfectly normal. A surprise, considering I'd just put almost all my strength into a punch that connected with a metal wall about a foot thick.  
  
"Apparently, a rather tough angel, at that," Nabiki deadpanned, standing on the other side of the doorway.  
  
"Why are you so against being an Angel? Would you rather be a Demon?" Makoto asked, reaching for one of my wings. She paused, and I thought about making them move, which they did. The wing whipped out and popped Makoto on the head. I snorted, trying to hold back a laugh, and Makoto frowned at le.  
  
"Hey!"  
  
"Sorry, I'm rather new at using them." I replied, relaxing them as best I could. Nabiki and Makoto both reached out ant touched a wing, tentatively at first, then stroking it gently.  
  
"Wow. They're so.. soft." Makoto said, eyes wide.  
  
"Yeah. Heavenly, even," Nabiki quipped. I ignored the odd sensation, thinking it felt like someone was running a finger over the back of my shoulder, only it a was detached feeling, like the shoulder was a few feet behind me.. or maybe it was a pair of curious girls rubbing a new angels wings. I signed, and they both pulled away reluctantly.  
  
"I'm not saying I'd rather be a Demon, but... I'm just not the kind of person that is.. angelic."  
  
"Sure you are!" Makoto said, smiling warmly at me, " I wouldn't have married you if you were evil."  
  
"Be that as it may, I do have my moments... And... I mean, really. Angel wings on a guy that liked to torture his own pet cat by chasing her around with plastic bags..."  
  
"You tortured your cat?" Makoto asked, frowning.  
  
"Only on occasion. When she clawed me up. It was rare."  
  
"I bet Ranma would look up to you if you told him that story." Nabiki said, smiling a little.  
  
"Probably. I wish I'd gotten a change to lay Genma out." I said, shrugging. This cause my wings to mimic the shrug, and the two girls stared at them in surprise.   
  
"So.. you think you're more worthy of the Demoness spring than the Angel spring..." Makoto said, sighing.  
  
"Well.. kind of. I mean, I'd have preferred no spring at all, or just guy water if it had to be one... This is kind of.. I dunno. Contrary to how I view myself."  
  
"Well, you should go for a fly, before you dismiss it as totally crappy," Nabiki offered, looking at me for a moment. When her gaze didn't let up, I frowned.  
  
"Something wrong?"  
  
"Aside from the white wings currently growing out of your back, or the rather effeminate way you've done your shirt up?"  
  
"Err.. Makoto did that," I said, quickly.   
  
"Makoto gave you wings, eh?" Nabiki asked, smirking. I frowned.  
  
"You know what I mean."  
  
"Yes, yes I do. You don't look like Ranma did. A female version of his original, male self."  
  
"So I've noticed," I said, dryly.  
  
"Well, do you look like the Angel that drowned, or did it just randomly create this look?"  
  
"I.. I dunno." I muttered.  
  
"Well, at least it's cute." Makoto offered, quietly. I smiled at her, then looked down at my hands again.  
  
"Flying, eh?" I said, glancing over my shoulder at the wings that were currently folded on my back. They didn't seem large enough to support 175 pounds. But then, I didn't weigh 175 pounds anymore, and they were angel wings, so maybe they were mystically able to support me?  
  
"Kyle?" SHODAN asked, suddenly. I jumped, and Makoto and Nabiki stepped out of the way of my wings as they unfurled and struck the walls before folding back up.  
  
"Yeah?" I asked, frowning.   
  
"Captain Eisen just asked for you or Lyla. Apparently, Confed intercepted a transmission from the Kilrathi detailing the Thunder, and are asking Eisen about it. He'd like to know how you would prefer the reply is handled."  
  
"Ah.. Right. Well, give me a few minutes to get some Hot water... in fact, have some hot water taps spread out throughout the ship, when we get the chance... and I'll be right there to talk to him." I said, walking towards my room. 


	9. Chapter 8

A quick shower and a dry set of clothes later, I strode onto the bridge, sliding into my chair before glancing at the ceiling.  
  
"Anytime SHODAN."  
  
The screen before me flickered to life, and Eisen's somewhat weary visage once again dominated the screen, the main bridge of the Victory behind him.  
  
"Kyle? Good to see you. As you've probably already been told, Confederate Intelligence has intercepted a transmission sent by one of the Kilrathi Destroyer's in the Ariel System. This transmission detailed your ship, and has Fleet HQ a little jumpy."  
  
"Go on," I prompted, nodding slowly.  
  
"I've been asked to transmit anything and everything I know or could speculate about the Jupiter's Thunder, and was wondering how much you might be willing to divulge."  
  
I thought about that for a moment, wondering what Confed would do if they knew all the intricacies of my ship. Still, Eisen would probably already have a rather detailed description, so denying him his request would be about as pointless as it was rude.  
  
"Captain, send me whatever report you have and I'll have some of my engineers go over it, and make sure it's totally correct in whatever details you and your crew've extrapolated."  
  
"I assumed as much. Is there anything you'd prefer to tell Confed, personally?"  
  
"You mean, like an attached message or something?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Sure... tell them I said Tolwyn's project is a waste, and while Taggart's is more elegant, it's still barbaric, and that I have a better suggestion. And that I'd like to talk to Taggart ASAP, if possible."  
  
"Taggart? General Taggart? And Admiral Tolywn?"  
  
"No, Tolwyn can stay in his little hidey-hole, plotting his heroic escapades or whatever. I'd rather talk to someone more.. amiable? Willing to listen, at any point.. and I think Taggart is in a better position to weigh all options. Not as much beaurocracy in Covert Ops."  
  
"You certainly know the upper echelons of our military..."  
  
"Grand Admiral," I said, looking away from the Screen and out the viewport at the Victory.  
  
"Excuse me?"  
  
"My Rank. So as to avoid any confusion, I'll go with a Grand Admiral Rank in the Imperial-" I paused, frowning, for a moment, before continuing, " THIS Imperial- Navy... as opposed to the Kilrathi's."  
  
"Grand Admiral?"  
  
"Yes. It's above all other's aboard the Thunder, so there's no confusion with the Chain of Command. Not counting naval personel, there are over thirty-eight thousand soldiers aboard this ship."  
  
Eisen blinked, looking away from the screen for a moment, before nodding, "I can see where such modifications to command structure might be warranted."  
  
"Yep. Anything else, Victory?"  
  
"Not at the moment. When can I expect my Wing Commander back?"  
  
"I'll get a shuttle prepped as soon as we finish speaking."  
  
"Understood. Victory out."  
  
"Thunder out."  
  
The screen went blank, returning to its prior, wall-like color, and I slumped in my seat, looking around the bridge for a moment before sliding out of the chair, and making my way to the door.  
  
"Archer, prepare a Lambda-class shuttle for our guests return to the Victory. What's come of the TIE conversions?"  
  
"Still ongoing," SHODAN replied almost before I finished speaking.  
  
"How's Nabiki's pet-project coming along?"  
  
"Fairly well. It's a pretty straightforward design, so there's very little fabricating involved. Just adapting what already exists."  
  
I nodded, making my way towards my quarters.   
  
"Something wrong, Kyle?" Makoto asked. I slowed down, glancing at her and giving her a little smile before turning back to look at the hallway stretching out before me.  
  
"Nothing much... and everything at once."  
  
"How vaguely descriptive," Nabiki quipped.  
  
"Wasn't it, though?" I muttered, suddenly changing direction and heading towards the dining area.  
  
There were a few people eating, and, while I could have chosen to dine in the more private dining area, I didn't feel like making the cook get me a full meal, so I made my way to the food dispenser and got myself a bowl of cereal.  
  
Sitting down at a corner table, I started eating, silently contemplating the way things were shaping up, and what would come soon.   
  
Convince a war-ravaged government to give me a convincingly large taskforce to use as a diversion while my ship Hyperspace Jumps into Kilrah's gravity well and I douse the Emperor and whoever else is nearby in a random curse of my chosing.  
  
"So damn simple," I muttered between spoonfulls of sugary... something. Looking down, I shrugged, not recognizing the shape, but recognizing the flavor as something akin to Cheerios.  
  
"What's simple?" Makoto asked, her own bowl filled with ice cream.  
  
"Oh, getting out of here."  
  
Nabiki glanced at the exit, but didn't say anything, and I snorted at the unsaid comment. Makoto just rolled her eyes, then looked at me, one brow raised.  
  
"So... Want to take your mind off your problems for a while?"  
  
I gagged on a mouthfull of oats, barely managing to contain the spray of partially chewed food before glaring at Makoto as I wiped milk from my chin. Swallowing the suddenly bland mouthful of oats, I frowned at her.  
  
"Not that!" She cried, somewhat indignantly. A few heads turned, but went back to their own business when they realized just who'd spoken up. Then looking down at the table, she quietly amended, "at least, not now." I smirked at her, before looking at Nabiki, who was busy looking at a corner.   
  
"So," I said, nonchalantly, "What'd you have in mind?"  
  
"I thought we could spar a little, you know?"  
  
"Oh. Yeah... that..." I trailed off as I thought about it. Glancing at the bowl, which was slowly turning to mush, I stood up, moving to dump the remains away.  
  
"That sounds really good, actually."  
  
Makoto smiled, and took my hand, and we made our way to the larger Hangar, where we had practiced before.  
  
"So... How do you want to start this?" I asked, glancing at her and then at the glossy floor. Instead of answering, she leapt at me, her foot descending rapidly towards my head. The sparring intensified from there on, continuing at an insane level of intensity for a good half-hour. Neither of us were conceding, and we both tried to one-up the other in any way possible.  
  
Dodging a few fairly obvious punches, I wondered where my aptitude for on-the-fly modifications to my attacks stemmed from. I was always creative, but somewhow, when I was sparring with Makoto, my creativity was exponentially greater.  
  
"Captain Eisen wants to talk to you, Kyle" SHODAN's disembodied voice spoke, surprising both Makoto and I.  
  
"Ahh... right," I muttered, moving towards a small viewscreen near the doors.  
  
"Kyle speaking."  
  
"Admiral? We're currently making preparations to head to Dealius Station, and I thought it best to inform you before we begin moving off."  
  
"Understood. Have Blair and your other two pilots made it over there, yet?"  
  
"They just arrived, and are currently filling out SitReps."  
  
"Oh? Forgot they'd have to do that. I'll tag along, and stay out of sensor range of the station so I don't end up giving the boys and girls there a scare."  
  
"I could call ahead and warn them."  
  
"You could, but while my existance is out of the bag, I'd rather keep my presence a scret for now."  
  
"Understood. Will you be initiating radio silence, then?"  
  
"Somewhat. The shuttle Blair was sent over with had a holoprojecter on it, We can communicate through that, since Confed technology doesn't have that ability, yet."  
  
"Understood. Am I to assume the pilot will be left with us to assist in the device's activation?"  
  
"Yes. Tell him to call for verification, and I'll make sure he understands what's going on."  
  
"Roger that, Admiral. TCS Victory out."  
  
"Thunder out."  
  
Turning to Makoto, I shrugged, then looked at the ceiling, "SHODAN?"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"How's the TIE conversion going? Done yet?"   
  
"Yes, Kyle. Pilots are being trained now. Would you like the World Devestator to be reset, or do you intend to convert more TIE-Fighters?"  
  
"Keep it handy, for the moment. I can't really think of a reason to keep any standard TIEs around, but before we start cutting into our numbers, lets start getting the pilots trained."  
  
"Acknowledged."  
  
Suddenly a pair of arms wrapped around me from behind, and I reached back to give my wife a hug as best I could. Pulling away a moment later, I leaned down to give her a quick peck on the lips. Instead, she grabbed my head and held me in place until I felt her tongue tease mine. I responded, wrapping her in a much easier embrace, and I felt her start to sag in my arms.   
  
Breaking off the passionate kiss, I looked at the door, then grinned.   
  
"SHODAN, teleport us to our room, if you could..."  
  
A couple hours later, I strode onto the bridge, the white Grand Admiral's uniform reflecting the bridge lights smartly. Standing over by the Communications center, Nabiki, clad in the maroon IU uniform, turned to look at me, and smirked, before glancing back down at whatever she had been looking at when I entered. Sittign down, I turned toward the transparisteel window, before asking, "Where's the station?"  
  
A monitor nearby flickered to life, and an asteroid-based Cenfederation outpost appeared, the Victory already docked and, I assumed, stocking up on fuel and supplies.  
  
"Anything from Eisen on the 'holonet?'"  
  
"Nothing yet, my lord," the communications officer said. I turned towards the monitor displaying the outpost, and asked if SHODAN had completed mapping the galaxy and the more basic hyperspace routes.  
  
"From the information provided, the most pertinent routes have been mapped accurately."   
  
"Sounds good," I said, turning to Nabiki. "How goes the tractor motifications?"  
  
"The Tractor beams modifications are done. All that's needed now is outfitting."  
  
"You can handle that, Nabiki." She nodded, and turned back to whatever she was doing, and I quirked a brow. "What's got you so interested," I asked, moving over to the console she was paying so much attention to. Peeking over her shoulder, I realized she'd tapped into the communications between the outpost and Confed HQ, and chuckled.  
  
"Anything interesting go through yet?"  
  
"Quite a bit, actually. Tolwyn didn't particularly care for your assessment of him or his skills, and berated Eisen for listening to someone not in posession of all the facts," Nabiki said this with a sly grin, before continuing, "After that, however, Taggart contacted Eisen, and was much more receptive to your comments. He's on his way here, apparently, and Eisen is currently explaining his report to some random bigwigs back Earthside."  
  
I nodded, then looked at space thriw the viewscreens for a moment, "What's Taggarts ETA?"  
  
"A day, give or take a couple hours. He's only a few jumps away, apparently."  
  
I nodded. "Well, we'll have to see what happens then..." I said, trailing off. Glancing at the stars outside, I turned towards Archer, "Our pilots running exercises... have their drills been modified to reflect possible Kilrathi fighters or maneuvers?"  
  
"Somewhat. We don't have much to go by, really, just what we saw in the last system. What we have, we're working with, and SHODAN is currently workign with whatever information she stole form the Confederation to develop more accurate Simulations."  
  
I nodded my head, turning to look at the wall SHODAN Usually chose to make an appearance on, before shrugging and turning towards the door.  
  
"Sounds like a good start. Nothing like having command of a ship and crew that works like a well-oiled machine. I think I'll go down to the flight deck and watch the pilots train in the Defenders."  
  
"I think I'll go down to the barracks for a surprise inspection," Makoto said with a little smirk. I quirked my brow at her, to which she grinned, "I remember doing it on occasion back... well, you know. If you're going to inspect the pilots, I may as well inspect the soldiers."  
  
"I'm..." I started, before stopping. While it wasn't an inspection I'd planned, it would undoubtably been considered one by anyone on the flight deck. Nodding once to Makoto, I grinned, "A surprise inspection it is."  
  
"Hold on a second..." Someone said behind me. Turning, I saw Nabiki standing near the door with a grin on her face, "this sounds kind of fun... think the Science department would be up to a surprise inspection by the Intelligence Ubiqtorate?"  
  
"Sounds like a plan... Lets do it."  
  
Emerging from the hall onto the flight deck with Captain Archer behind me, Inspection datapad in hand, I made my way towards the most senior officer visible, a Colonel.  
  
"Who's in charge here?" I asked, wincing slightly at the over-used and uninformed question.  
  
"I- I am, Milord. Is something the matter?" the Colonel said, paling slightly.  
  
"Not yet... I'm conducting a surprise inspection of the wing."  
  
"I was not infor-"  
  
"You know, it surprises me how often people, when confronted by a 'surprise inspection,' explain that they weren't informed... You do realize the irony of the situation, don't you, Colonel...?"  
  
"Dowreau, Lord Kyle. I apologize... We shall endeavour to impress you."  
  
"Sounds like a winning propsition. As we speak, Admiral Tendo is inspecting the Science Division, and my wife is inspecting the Imperial Army Barracks."  
  
Colonel Dowro smirked slightly, before turning to a nearby officer, "Inform the pilots that Lord Kyle is here to inspect them on their piloting skills."  
  
"Yes, Colonel," the tech said, before speaking quickly into a microphone. I moved over to the large transparent window that looked out at the space below the Thunder, before glancing down at the graphical radar system that displayed all space around the Jupiter's Thunder.  
  
------------------  
  
And that's what I've got for NASIF3... Sadly, I'm really NOT in a Wing Commander mood at this time, and writing more of this was taking more and more effort, as it went from a joy to a pain...  
  
As such, I've decided that, instead of letting the series die, I'm going to move on to NASIF 4, Which I've already started, and, when I get back into Wing Commander, I'll quickly finish this section up...  
  
I appologize to the readers who were enjoying this segment, and, unless I die, I'll get back to this part, because I understand the frustration of finding something I come to enjoy being unfinished...  
  
In the mean time, enjoy the next part, in which my avatar enters a universe he doesn't know all that well, due to a... dislike he and I share for the Genre.  
  
Actually, I love the series, but at the time I started NASIF, over a year ago, I didn't... and I thought it'd be fun to mock my own earlier ignorance. So... look forward to Not Another SI Fic Part 4! 


End file.
